1) Wait until the last minute to study—Sure, you have 15 credits, heck, maybe you have over 18 credits to study for. But, if you avoid studying for them until the last minute you will be able to fit in more social activities with your friends, which, let’s face it, is far more important than your degree.
2) Slash your own tires—You commute; take advantage of it! Miss your least favorite/most stressful class by slashing your own tires. You don’t have to deal with the boredom if you don’t have a means to get there.
3) Lay on the floor and cry—Avoiding studying by having a mental breakdown is a great excuse not to study. Depending on how mentally unstable you are due to finals stress, this could last hours, which is great to avoid studying.
4) Lash out at people often—You have a lot of work; people deserve to know! If you’re angry, just act like a total jerk to everyone. They should understand. Lashing out at people will definitely make the end of the semester less painful for you…for them? Maybe not, but oh well!
5) Don’t go out…ever—You need to stay in one room every day. A change of scenery is the last thing you want. That might distract you, and you don’t want that.
6) Eat one meal a day. As a matter of fact, neglect your body’s needs altogether. Your body comes second when it is the end of the semester and your classes pile on the work.
7) Stay up until the wee morning hours. Don’t start it any earlier than 8:00pm because, look, you have ~other~ stuff to do. Staying up really late is great for mental health.
Okay, in all seriousness, do the opposite of this list and you’ll be fine. Your friends are such an important lifeline for you during the end of the semester. Don’t lash out at them if you’re stressed or overwhelmed; talk to them about it! Chances are that most everyone on campus is going through the same feelings of pressure that you are, so talking to a friend will help not only you, but your friend as well.
Amanda Drennan, a junior journalism student, says “I like to get out with my friends; we can go catch a movie or do a seasonal trip like going to the PNC Holiday Light Show, because it helps us take our minds off of studying. We all need a break.”
Fallon Beato, a freshman student deals with heavy workloads by “taking every assignment one day at a time.” “Quality is a lot more important than just getting it done. And doing assignments one step at a time throughout the semester will be a lot less stressful once it’s due at the end,” she continued.
Stress is a scary thing when it comes to the end of the semester because, yes, the struggle is definitely real! It is important to note that not all stress is bad stress.
Psychological Counselor, Chris McKittrick, reveals that, “Stress is a natural response to stimuli and can help motivate someone to take action.” But, he continues, “Too much stress, on the other hand, can be overwhelming, lead to health concerns (headaches, digestive issues, loss of appetite, etc.), changes to sleeping patterns, and cause emotional distress.”
It is important for us, as busy college students, to monitor our stress levels and recognize when we need to take a step back and evaluate our situations. And this is especially true for the end of the semester. As for the inevitable last week of the semester—finals—McKittrick says that his best piece of advice for surviving finals is to “Sleep. Eat. And Drink water; by ensuring that basic needs are being nourished, physical and emotional wellness is bolstered.”
