5 Ways to Reduce Stress During Finals Week

The last two weeks of each semester are always the busiest times of the school year. Along with being the busiest, it is also the most stressful. Being a junior in college, I feel that I have figured out great ways to reduce the stress that finals bring. It is extremely easy to get overwhelmed when your professors assign long papers or important tests. These five tips will help distract your mind from the busyness and make you feel calmer on a campus full of commotion.

Music

1- One of the best ways I’ve found to reduce stress is listening to and enjoying music. Music is one of the simple pleasures in life and is extremely easy to access. Whether you are listening while working or just listening in the car, music can quickly change your mood. Spotify and Apple Music provide great playlists for every mood. When I am working on finals, I like to listen to a playlist called ‘Living in the Library.’ This playlist was created for those with long work days and who need music that will maintain their focus. The music on this playlist is the perfect amount of upbeat and relaxing. When I’m not working, one of my favorite playlists on Apple Music is ‘Dancing in my Room.’ This playlist has many popular songs that are fun to dance to and shake the stress away.

Gym

2- Going to an on-campus gym is one of the best ways to naturally relieve stress. Dopamine is released during a workout and can quickly boost your mood. With the loads of work that needs to be done, getting in the gym can help clear your head. Going to the gym could motivate you to be productive and get further work done. One of my favorite things to do at the gym is go for a run and then cool down after with yoga. This helps clear my mind of any stress and relaxes me. As a young college student, I deal with a lot of stress and anxiety. I have found that consistently going to the gym and being active helps me get into the right head space to get things done.

Baking

3- Baking is not everyone’s strong suit. Luckily, there are several places to find easy recipes and pre-made boxed ingredients. Making anything from cupcakes to cookies is a simple task that does not require much time. In the end, you are rewarded with something sweet. With finals being such a stress-high time, people often crave sweets and midnight snacks. Baking some treats and sharing them with friends can boost happiness and put those cravings to rest. During finals week, my roommates and I made several servings of cookies. This has made the work a bit more bearable and adds some fun to a long, stressful day.

Social

4- BE SOCIAL! I know finals week is a stressful time and loads of work may not leave much time for play. Even with so much to do, it is important to get out and spend time with those you love. Staying holed up in your studies can mess with your mental health. It is not completely healthy to let work absorb your life. Hanging out with your friends at the end of the day may help reduce some stress and move your focus to something more fun. Since finals week gives us little to no time to see people, a way that my friends and I stay connected is through studying together. It is much easier to do your work in a room full of people being productive. We often like to do this at Starbucks or in our living room. I would even say that I get the most work done this way.

Spend Time With Pets

5- Pets are angels and a gift sent to us from the gods. There are not very many people who can resist the love of a pet. Spending time with loving animals like cats and dogs can significantly reduce stress levels. Although most of us have pets at home, we often do not bring them to school since they are family pets. Luckily, there are several students on campus with ESAs. My neighbor in Centennial has a pug and my roommates and I love to go visit it. The next door down has a hairless cat who is fun to play with and is a great cuddler. Spending time with these animals has greatly eased my stress and taken my mind off the large amount of work I’ve been assigned.

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