Making Your Way Through Finals

    I'm sure anyone who reads this and is a student already knows the number one thing that we experience during finals week: stress.  Everyone experiences this and I might even say that a moderate amount of this is good; it helps to motivate us to get everything done.  However, too much stress can cause us to forget some very important things, such as taking care of ourselves.  For me, the following things are vital in helping me to do well on finals:

    1) Getting enough sleep.

Cozy looking bed.  Picture from Here Comes the Sun.

    
          Now, I know pulling all-nighters are common in college, especially before test days, but in reality they may not be as helpful.  According to Brown University "It's well documented that sleep deprived students perform significantly worse than students who regularly get a good night's sleep. REM sleep is particularly important for consolidating newly learned information, and a large proportion of REM sleep occurs towards the end of the night. So studying most of the night for a test, and then sleeping only a few hours, decreases your ability to remember new information."  Rather than trying to study more the night before the exam, go to bed at a reasonable time.  Get a full eight hours of sleep in the night before the exam.

    2) Eating well and exercising.
          A lot of the time, stress makes me want to eat a bunch of junk food.  This is a little bit of a way of coping, but this can also be harmful towards my performance during finals week.  Rather than cope with my stress through eating cookies and other desserts, I go for a run.  Brown University also says that "general health and stress resistance can be enhanced by regular exercise, a diet rich in a variety of whole grains, vegetables, and fruits, and by avoiding excessive alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco."  So if you want to feel balanced and in control during finals week, cut out a bit of time to break from your studies and go for a short jog--20 to 30 minutes.

3) Spending some of your time studying with friends/classmates.
          I know this specific one is not for everyone.  It doesn't work for every subject for me.  Sometimes I need to study by myself, but other times it's helpful to study with others and to help each other out.  It's also comforting sometimes to hear other individuals under-preparedness, so you know you're not alone in your nervousness about the upcoming exam.

    Here's a study checklist from my own school, Texas A&M:

Did You...	Yes	No	Points for a "Yes" Answer
1. Attend all classes			1
2. Review your notes daily			3
3. Read material prior to it being covered in class			1
4. Study daily			3
5. Have at least one conference with the professor			1
6. Develop and learn a word list for the course			2
7. Read materials to improve your background in the course (other than text)			1
8. Attend help session			1
9. Attend learning resource lab when available			1
10. Develop a list of possible questions			2
11. Ask questions in class			1
12. Study an old exam (when available)			1
13. Avoid a last minute cram session			1
14. Sleep at least 8 hours the night before			1
Add your total points, plus one point for each hour you spent in preparation over 20 hours; in other words if you spent 25 hours, add 5 points.

    Good luck to everyone on their finals!  Just remember that you can do it!  Just give it your all and once it's over, it's over.  Enjoy every step of the way.

Saving Yourself From Stress

  Phew!  Midterms are finally over and I am definitely going to be enjoying this weekend as much as possible.  This past week was absolutely crazy!  I did have a few tricks up my sleeve that helped me to not get too overwhelmed and I figured I'd share them with you.

1. Waking up and deciding that I was going to be able to take on whatever the day brought.
• This was the biggest thing that made me feel a bit more relaxed during the week.  Waking up and already making today be a good day was extremely helpful in carrying my self in a way that agreed with that decision.
2. Reminding myself that "I'm human."
• We all make mistakes.  We are all going to inevitably forget something that we needed that day and not have enough time to go back and get it.  Alternatively, we may have a lot of studying or work to do and then get behind in classes that you put on the back burner that week.  It's all okay.  Allow yourself to make mistakes every now and then.
3. Listening to songs that I really enjoy.
• Even if they're from when you were five years old; if they make you happy, listen to them!  During stressful weeks, you have to enjoy the little things in life, and speaking of little things...
4. Writing down 10 things that make me happy, at least once a day.
• Writing down what makes you happy and/or what you're thankful for can really shift your perspective and make your day a little bit more enjoyable.  It could be something as simply as "how breakfast tasted" or "getting to wake up in a comfortable bed."  As long as your recognizing that you have things in your life that you enjoy, you're on the right idea.
5. You may not believe it, but: allowing myself to be stressed.
• No, not constantly, over-the-top stressed.  But still acknowledging how I was feeling and allowing my emotions to be valid.  Whenever I constantly try to ignore my feelings and "make" myself feel 100% better, I often feel worse.  Allowing myself to feel what I was feeling and to be okay with it really helped.  You have to acknowledge yourself.  Treat yourself kindly, even if that means being a little upset for a moment or two.

  In the end, you just have to realize that everything is going to work out and that you'll be feeling like your normal self again, soon.  Also, if you think that you have very serious stress issues, by all means, go talk to someone.  Medical professionals do wonders and you always come out stronger in the end.  If you have any other strategies you use to help get you through a stressful time, leave them in the comments below!