How to: Survive Finals

by Marie Lachance

It is hard to believe, but in under a week, I will officially be done with my first semester of college! Whether you are in college yourself, or still in high school, finals season is fast approaching, and it is notoriously a time where a lot of students struggle. The combination of pressure, sleep deprivation, and general chaos makes for a difficult couple of weeks… but there are some ways to make finals period a little more bearable. Here are some tips I have found helpful with managing stress!

1. Go for a run! Whether you are an athlete, an avid runner, an occasional jogger, or have never gone for a run in your life, it is a fact that endorphins boost your mood and give you the energy you need to sustain those late night cram sessions and hours of writing essays. If running isn’t your thing, then there are other options as well- try going to a gym and trying out a class, practicing yoga, or even lifting some weights. Anything to get you moving, raise your heart rate a little bit, and take your mind off of stress for a little bit. 
2. Treat yourself to some ice cream! Screw the Freshman 15- let finals be a period of comfort eating 😃 Listen to your body, and it will tell you what it needs. If it says it needs fray with cookie dough and brownies, then by all means… 
3. Long, hot showers- Showers are an incredible way to get your mind off of work, and to literally clean yourself of all of your troubles. When I’m feeling particularly stressed, I take a long, hot, shower and blast my favorite song, and forget about my responsibilities for a little bit. 
4. Skip day- even if you feel like it is not at all possible to do so, sometimes the best thing you can do for your mental health is to take the entire day off. Wake up late, go to class if it is necessary, but then end your day there and don’t do any work that isn’t absolutely necessary. Talk to some friends, eat a good meal, watch some Netflix, and sleep- sometimes this is the absolute best remedy for finals stress. 
5. Call your mom- sometimes, the only thing you need in order to feel better is to talk to your mother. She can tell you everything will be okay, and reassure you she’ll still love you, even if you don’t come back with a 4.0 😃 
6. Give someone a hug! Along with exercising, hugging has also been scientifically proven to boost our happiness levels- so go give someone you care about a hug, because chances are they are in need as well!

Hopefully this helps- good luck to everyone on their finals, and happy holidays!