I have been MIA for about a week, unheard of I know. At the start of the week, on top of all of the stress leading up to finals, I caught what felt like the plague... the stomach bug. That would be the explanation for my absence, but after lots of rest and Netflix, I feel way better!
The time leading up to finals, or every weekend after Thanksgiving, can be super stressful. Chances are you are worried about doing well on the finals that affect your semester grade. I get it, I am in the exact same boat.
Instead of studying, I decided to do a little research on how to destress (I don't always have the best of ideas on this). The list below is what I've come up with ways to destress this weekend when cramming for finals!
1. Take frequent study breaks!! This is the one I practice the most, primarily because I am so easily sidetracked and I justify every Twitter check as a study break. The best thing to do is to study for somewhere between 30 minutes to an hour and then take a 10 to 15 minute break. The important thing is not to stretch out study breaks because if you do, chances are you will forget what you even started studying!
2. Take your Dog for a Walk. The time spent between studying two subjects can easily be spent doing something outdoors. Exercise stimulates your brain. If you are really feeling up to it go to the Greenway. I am sure the fresh air will feel awesome after being trapped in your house studying.
3. Make a To-Do List. One of the main reasons that my finals stresses are so intense is because I am overwhelmed with the amount of stuff I have to know. When you start studying this weekend, make a To- Do list of your plan for the day. When I sit down on Saturday, I will organize the studying by the order of the finals. I will divide up each part of the day based on the information and the topics. If I divide and conquer, I will chances are be more successful, but able to have fun time in the midst of studying! Going back to #1, I like to reward myself with a break when I accomplish something on the to do list.
4. Take a Nap. We all need a break that isn't checking twitter or instagram. Take power naps. Do not take one, three hour nap half way thru the studying. Take more frequent 30 minute power naps!
5. Eat. Try to avoid the junk food, the hardest thing for me. When I am studying, I normally want to just sit and eat from a bag of chips, but if you eat healthier snacks and stay hydrated (WITH WATER) your energy levels will stay high keeping you more motivated to study!
This is one your mom always tells you, or at least mine does!
6. Go to bed early. Not only the night before the big test, but the whole weekend. If you get 8 hours of sleep every night leading up to the test, great things are to come. I know it sounds cliche, but go to bed early and eat breakfast the day of the test.
Don't forget to take advantage of studying in groups! Sometimes it's a benefit and other times it only complicates things. Try it this time around!
Good luck on all of your finals to come this week! I hope that these suggestions will help you to take a step back and relax this weekend while studying!
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