If you are searching for this, you may be feeling the pressure and stress from rapidly approaching deadlines and final exams. Perhaps the rest of the semester went without issue. Maybe you were living carefree, completing assignments whenever you could and sometimes skipping a class just to have a ‘me’ day. Perhaps you attended meticulously, taking very precise notes and studying very hard. Regardless of your college experience, final exams can be a very vulnerable and tense time for many students. If you are feeling the effects of that with late night study sessions, skipping meals and sacrificing sleep to catch up on assignments and material you might have skimped over before, here are some things that can help you with that.
Self-care is important, especially during times of high stress. Self-care can mean different things to people, but also ensuring that you are physically taking care of yourself, and balancing time to decompress and engage in hobbies and interests is a worthwhile investment for your overall mental health. It can be easy to forget these things when your main focus is to succeed, or at minimum, survive the exam period. As you approach the end of the semester, make sure to check-in with yourself and ensure you’re following the below tips to optimize your overall wellbeing as the semester comes to a close:
Focus on getting a routine sleep schedule, of ideally 6-8 hours, around the same time each day. Regulating sleep allows your body and mind the rest it needs to store information and prepare for the coming day.
Don’t sacrifice on nutrition. Food is a major source of energy, has significant effects on your mood, ability to get quality sleep, and has the tolerance to focus, concentrate, and perform well in school. If you aim to maintain your 3 meals a day and 1-2 snacks and have a decent fluid intake 32-64 oz a day, you will start to notice a major difference in your ability to function. Hanger is a very real thing, and irritability and agitation is more present if you are hungry. Listen to your body, honor your hunger cues, and aim to get a balanced meal.
Take breaks! Whether you are writing some papers, studying, or completing projects, giving yourself routine breaks throughout your work can be incredibly beneficial. Allowing yourself that rest time can help you refocus, organize the big picture, allow reflection time to give affirmations of what you already achieved, and have down time for your mind to rest.
If the thought of approaching your work is overwhelming, try to organize before starting. If you list what needs to be done and focus on completing the shorter, easier, and smaller tasks first, it will help in the long run. When you need to tackle the big projects, break them down into easier and achievable increments.
Don’t forget to make time to socialize, see your friends, do something fun, read a book, catch up on your show, or connect with family. It may be less than what it usually would be, but allowing yourself this time, even for 1-2 hours, nurtures other areas of your life that are also important.
Finally, find something to look forward to after you are all done. The holidays can be a big motivation! You can go home, celebrate with your family, catch up with friends from home, or find something else! That could be a special event you found or a mini-vacation. Winter break can be a nice time to make your own. Find the incentive that will keep you motivated and positive!
If you need some additional support in navigating the stressors of college, click here.