By Jadyn Iby
Staff Writer
Knowing we are all stressed with finals week being just around the corner, here are some helpful tips, tricks, and things that you should know while you are getting prepared.
According to PsychologyDegreeGuide.org, a website that produced an article commenting on how students manage their stress during finals week, “Stress not only causes psychological issues but physical and behavioral issues and symptoms as well.”
The article additionally states the many side effects and symptoms that come from being stressed, such as physically, having “…recurrent headaches, difficulty sleeping (insomnia), tiredness, excessive sweating, digestive problems, back pain, strong palpitations, etc,” psychologically, getting “anxiety, depression, concentration problems, mental blocks, memory problems, irritability, low motivation, restlessness, anguish, etc,” and behaviorally, students may “stop attending classes, have little encouragement to carry out academic activities, isolation, carrying out other activities above study, etc.” These symptoms are all common when being under a lot of stress, so it is important to take care of ourselves.
“Students get stressed during finals week for many reasons,” said the Counseling Center in an email. “…It has been a long and challenging semester, and as it winds down, most coursework, exams, papers and projects are all due around the same time.”
“This time of year the days are shorter, darker, colder and more dreary and it brings a range of additional mental health challenges for students to overcome. Seasonal Affective Disorder is a prevalent and real issue in the fall and winter months, and it brings additional challenges for students,” they said.
“As a freshman, I’m intimidated,” said Natayla Mister, 27’, a forensic psychology major. Isabella Recene, 25’, a major in communications with a concentration of integrated marketing, said, “A strategy I use is setting up a day and time that I will solely focus on one specific class content as well as making a detailed study guide so I have all the information I need for the test…making a study guide really helps.’’
According to New York University (NYU), there are ten ways to stay healthy and spirited through finals. These include: Getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, planning ahead and prioritizing tasks, setting aside time for movement, getting proper nutrition, setting boundaries, trying yoga or meditation, making a distinction between “work time” and “play time,” finding the joy in the little things, and focusing on the excitement for the finish line.The Counseling Center also has many resources for students to take advantage of here on campus. “In addition to our regular services (which include regularly scheduled therapy sessions, occasional “check-in’s”, and mental health consultations) the Counseling Center, in conjunction with the Sanctuary and Health Services, offer an array of stress reducing opportunities for students the week before finals. We call this event Stress Free Week. We will have massage therapists and therapy dogs available beginning Dec. 4. We also have events where you can make your own sensory bottle, practice walking meditation, or make an ice cream sundae. You can see a list of events posted in the EAC and In The Know,” the Counseling Center said.
