As finals week approaches, it’s important to put the books down and relieve that stress! Implementing stress management into your daily routine is vital. Relieving stress can boost your mood, increase your immune system, help you sleep at night and more. Here are five tips to help keep stress at bay this finals week!
Spend Time Outside
The outdoors is an escape from the stuffy air inside. The winter can make it a bit more difficult to get outside, but luckily the Syracuse area offers several wintry outdoor activities. You can go ice skating at Clinton Square or check out the Holiday Nights event at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo! If you don’t want to leave campus, there are five newly installed fire pits around South Campus; grab your friends and some marshmallows and enjoy the warm fire! It’s easy to get caught up in front of your laptop screen during finals week. Leave the screen inside and give your eyes and body a relaxing break!
Get Some Exercise
Exercise is great for the mind and the body. According to an article by Harvard Health Publishing, exercise reduces the level of adrenaline and cortisol in your body (the stress hormones) as it stimulates the production of endorphins (the chemicals in your brain that are natural “mood-lifters”). The Barnes Center at The Arch is offering several different exercise classes through the end of the semester, including yoga, Barre and weightlifting, so be sure to register for a class through the Wellness Portal if you’d like a stress-relieving workout!
Hang Out with Friends
Spending time with your friends is a great way to decompress during the end of the semester. Some of my favorite things to do with friends include having a movie night, baking or having a paint night! Recently, I’ve gotten into following Bob Ross painting tutorials. They’re relaxing, easy to follow and the end result is always beautiful! If planning a formal hangout isn’t in the cards for your end-of-semester schedule, even just getting to talk with friends can help you de-stress, so be sure to make some time for them during this stressful period of the semester!
Make a To-Do List
To-do lists help get everything out there. There are no surprises or shocks about what needs to get done. Just the act of writing everything out on a piece of paper can help eliminate some pent-up stress. Typically I take a post-it note and write out all my assignments for the week. I’ll leave the note on my laptop and cross off each assignment as I finish it. This motivates me to get work done as well as helps me de-stress because I can see exactly what I’ve already accomplished and what’s left for me to do.
Try Different Study Methods
If your current study method of choice isn’t working for you, don’t be afraid to explore other options! Study groups are a great way to connect with classmates and brush up on any information you might be confused about. Or you can give the Time-Lapse Method a try! Grab your phone, open the camera and record a time-lapse of yourself doing your work or studying for 15 minutes straight. This eliminates the ability to use your phone while you’re working, so it simultaneously keeps you focused and motivates you to get your work done faster.
I hope one of these tips helps you destress for finals week! As stressful this week may be, make sure you take some personal time. Good luck and happy (almost) break!
Written By Tessa Hodinger G‘23, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications