Every student feels the pull of winter vacation, especially after the unique struggles of this semester. However, finals give students plenty to stress about until then. Here are a few tips to help ease that final exam process and come out on the other side to a much needed break.
Take some time off from studying. Though this may sound to be a bit ridiculous for the occasion, one can overwork their brain. Too much information all at once can exhaust your brain and make it less effective during those important study sessions. If possible, take a couple hours everyday for yourself and give your brain a break so it will be ready for the next study session.
Set up a support network. Finals aren’t just taxing on one’s mind, but also on one’s emotions. Make sure you have a support network set in place where you can talk to people you are close to if something really starts to bother you. This will let you check in on your friends and make sure they are doing okay. This practice also gives peace of mind knowing that someone has your back if you need them.
Visit the counseling center. If your stress is overwhelming or you just need an outlet, there is no harm in seeing the campus counselors for help. It’s what they are there for and odds are they can talk you through your emotions and help find ways to cope with them. Also, patient-doctor confidentiality means that you are completely anonymous to everyone else if you don’t want that information revealed.
Set your study times throughout the day. Block off periods throughout the day where you can study that work best with your schedule. This takes the stress away from trying to figure out when you will do it and, in conjunction with the first tip, will let you find time off.
Take time to be alone. Especially with the hectic nature of this time period, being alone with some quiet time can ease your mind and allow for some clear thinking. It’s not selfish to want to take alone time to figure things out.
Go out and have some safe fun. Following COVID-19 safety measures of course, go out with friends or family and have a good time. Isolation during this period certainly won’t help and the feeling of companionship will certainly alleviate some grievances if you have them. Go to a restaurant, take a hike or maybe a late night Cookout run will work.
Take time for God. Read your Bible, pray and meditate on His word. God strengthens the souls of His followers in Christ to endure through any hardship. Pray for endurance, pray for peace and pray for guidance during this time. God is always there for those who need Him.
In the end, it’s the little things that can make a huge difference. You don’t have to do anything grand to relieve your stress. The Stampede would like to wish the student body good luck during this time and to have a safe holiday break!
Headline photo: Take some time to go out and explore. East Tennessee has plenty of beautiful places to go such as Blue Hole. Photo courtesy of TripAdvisor.