With less than one week till the end of the semester, we all know what lies in waiting … finals.It is an incredibly stressful time. No matter where you are in your degree, the fear and anxiety never fails to jolt you back to reality. As this will be my last semester of undergrad and I would love to share some ways I have found to de-stress and deal with anxiety during exam season.
A lot of these I found to work because they engage my mind in something other than academics or allow my body to heal from the deteriorating effects of stress. It is important allow yourself to de-stress. In the past I was always felt guilty and worried that a minute not spent studying (e.g. at the gym, cooking or sleeping) would hurt my performance on exams. However, as long as you optimize, as oppose to maximize, study time, you can certainly make the best of any exam season.
I. Take scheduled breaks and schedule your sleep
As much as we want to pull all-nighters and study until 8:45am for a 9 am exam (definitely guilty on both counts) taking a break and sleeping adequate amounts will help consolidate your memory especially when you’re trying to memorize a topic. There’s nothing worse than heading into exam with the stress of struggling to remember everything you’ve memorized. Sleeping well and for an appropriate amount of time (7-8 hours) will relax your mind!
II. Get active
Whether its running on a treadmill or lifting weights or even in an hour-long yoga class, getting in some exercise will improve your mental health, your mood, and even improve your memory! These are all proven benefits of exercise that will result in a more relaxed you during exams.
III. Spend time with your furry friends
This definitely still applies even if you don’t have a pet. Many schools and campus residences have pet therapy sessions or a residence pet – which is more than often a dog. Petting or cuddling with these little fuzz-balls is a great stress-reliever. Another option would be a cat café if your city has one.
IV. Ask for help and utilize counselling services
Talking to someone you trust is a great way to ease tension, your mental health should always be a priority. Whenever you feel overwhelmed, professional counselling services are always available through school, residence and if you find yourself short on either, the Canadian Mental Health Association Helpline is
V. Take care of your body
Short of advising you to hit up the spa or a massage parlour, a great way to relieve stress while saving time and money would be to create the experience at home. Anything from taking a shower, to painting your nails or even a DIY facial will make you feel rejuvenated and have you glowing for those exams! P.S. my friends at Azarya Lifestyle have some great tips for self-love, check them out here!
VI. Find yourself outdoors
When you’re cooped up behind a desk in the library, it’s easy to forget that anything besides your study topic exists. Spending time outside or taking a walk will help you reset while soaking up the sun and stretching your limbs.
VII. Do something you love
This could be hanging with friends or watching Netflix or if you’re like me, cooking and blogging /doing bloggerish things like updating my fashion diary. I find that I do things I love with more enthusiasm and therefore I am happier when I get back to studying. Also, I feel much less guilt when spending time away from studying.
Finals are tough, but rest assured you WILL get through them and prove that YOU are TOUGHER. Don’t forget to take some time to take care of yourself, mind and body, so you can give your 100% best on test day.
Best of luck!
xx
