Self care is the best care! Especially during finals week. Preparing for finals is overwhelming, and treating yourself is often forgotten. Self care especially among college students is vital in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, particularly during finals week. There’s a reason students fall sick during finals week: it is a proven fact that lack of sleep, change in eating patterns, and excess stress can cause various mental and physical issues among college students. Here are a few tips on how to “treat yo self” during finals week.
Cut down the caffeine consumption
Some kind of caffeine is a staple for every student during finals week. In reality, though, caffeine is the worst way to increase productivity. Excessive caffeine affects your nervous system and decreases the concentration power. The best remedy? Eat an apple or drink green tea. Eating an apple or drinking tea refreshes you, while caffeine accelerates fatigue.
Do not pull all-nighters
Sleep is the most important part, even during a hectic week of finals. Students often think pulling all-nighters is more effective to finish studying, but that is a false assumption. Staying up all night decreases productivity and clogs your mind the following day. Sleeping for at least five hours before an exam gives better results in tests.
Take frequent breaks
Studying for six hours straight is never effective. Your mind needs time to process all the stuff you just learned. The best way to give that to your mind is to take frequent breaks during your study time. Your break can range from 10 to 20 minutes. Also take some time to reduce the stress on your eyes—refrain from looking at your phone/computer screen for too long without a break. Take a quick walk and breathe in some fresh air, drink lots of water, and have a snack!
Take a shower
The best place to gather all your thoughts is in the shower. Sing your favorite song, act out your favorite scene from a movie or tv show, or think of rainbows and unicorns. De-stress yourself as much as possible while you are in the shower and refresh your mind before you go back to studying.
Be kind to yourself
The most important thing to remember in self care is being kind to yourself. Do not overwork yourself, even during finals. There’s only a certain amount your body and mind can take at a time. Do not forget to eat, always hydrate yourself, and remember to take deep breaths every time you are stressed. The more kind you are, the better the productivity and final result!
I hope this article helps you get through the finals phase. Happy finals week and don’t forget to self-care!! Go Hoosiers!
International Studies major, class of 2021
Born in Atlanta, lived in New Jersey and somehow ended up in India at the age of seven. I like to describe myself as an introvert who loves writing, traveling, watching movies, and absolutely hates math.
