With finals week coming up, it is important to remember how to study in a smart and productive way, but it is even more important to remember how to stay calm and fight stress.
- Something that helps me in times of stress is knowing that I have control over when and how I prepare for class. By preparing yourself and creating a clear study schedule for finals, it can be reassuring to know when you will study, what you will study and for how long. By creating a schedule that prepares you early enough before the finals, you will feel calm the day of your finals because you will have been properly ready.
- Sleeping is extremely important when it comes to being calm and relaxed. If you sleep on an inconsistent sleep schedule, stress levels can rise, making it difficult to concentrate during studying and exam taking. Sleep helps with concentration and memory, which are two skills that are extremely important during test taking. The lack of these skills can really impact grades. Sleep is therefore extremely important when it comes to finals.
- Know your resources. Something important when struggling with stress is knowing the resources to which you have access. Seeking therapy, treatment or going to resources like The Well at University of California, Riverside (UCR) can be extremely helpful to help cope with stress during finals week. UCR’s Therapy Fluffies (an event in which students can spend time with cats and dogs in the libraries) is also a great way to relax before finals week.
- If you are stressed, it is important to communicate with the people around you. Trusting the judgment of others can help you understand things that you may not have understood when studying. Communication can also help as it can aid you in the process of understanding the emotions that can be felt during times of stress before finals week. Make sure you are able to talk to the people around you so they understand the way you might be feeling and how they may be able to help.
- Limiting caffeine intake can also help reduce stress. Caffeine can overstimulate you, causing increased feelings of anxiety, nervousness and stress. It can also keep you awake, disrupting the sleep schedule. Although it might be tempting to drink caffeine to pull all nighters during exams, it is much more clever to get sufficient sleep to stay concentrated during regular study sessions.
- Taking regular breaks during times when you study is very important. Overstudying exists and it usually does more harm than good. By taking breaks, you can relax more, pausing stressful studying to regroup yourself. It also helps with concentration, which in turn, helps with studying and therefore reduces stress because you will feel more prepared.
- Time management is another important tool to staying on track when preparing for exams and finals. Procrastination will only make stress levels rise because of feelings of unpreparedness in the upcoming exam days. If you are able to manage your time correctly, it will help you feel more relaxed the day of the finals because you will feel prepared and ready.
- A final way to relieve tension is through exercise. Regular short walks or daily exercise can help reduce stress and tension. Your mind might detach from the subjects you are studying for, giving you relaxing time for yourself. Exercise can also help to elevate your mood, making it easier to concentrate and focus when you study.
I hope these study suggestions aid in your plight to pass finals. Good luck on your exams this quarter — if you use these tips I am sure you will succeed.
