Top 10 Ways to Deal with Finals Week Stress

Everyone has stress while attending school. It doesn't matter if your goal is to be a  medical assistant or a registered nurse, the last few weeks of the semester is going to be stressful with everything wrapping up. Here is the top 10 ways to cope with your stress. 

1. Avoiding Procrastination! 

Sure it's easier said than done for some people, but it's truly a way to hinder yourself from being successful. Compile a list of tasks that need to be finished, even little things such as preparing for a presentation. Once you have your list of everything to get done, put it in order of what makes the most sense by when things are due. Obviously you need to complete research before writing a paper or giving a presentation. These things aren't rocket science! 

2. Time Management

Everyone has many things going on besides just school, such as work, family, and friends. The trick is to juggle everything without anything falling apart. You have probably been doing this most of the semester, but you'll need to work harder for just a little while longer as the semester approaches completion. 

3. Music and Dance

Everyone needs a break once in awhile! After I accomplish a small task, I like to celebrate by turning up some music I enjoy and dancing around. It helps to stretch everything out and gets the blood pumping. When I'm short on time, I will also do something, such as clean my apartment. 

4. Walk

A brief walk outside can really be beneficial, even taking the trash out, or walking around the block. You are getting fresh air, blood circulating, and a bit of exercise to counter-act all of the sitting down while studying you've probably been doing lately. 

5. Drink Green Tea

Green tea has many benefits we've all heard of. It also has the important caffeine that helps keep us alert. I personally do not enjoy the taste of green tea, so I have discovered a way that I do enjoy it. I brew a bag of tea, then ice it down and put some drink flavor in it. I prefer to mix some powdered sugar free lemonade powder, or a squirt of MiO. 

6. Reduce Caffeine at Night

Despite being exhausted, you really should think twice about getting that coffee after dinner. Drinking caffeine too late will interfere with getting a good night's rest, we've all heard this before. If you aren't sleeping well during the night, it will only continue the cycle of that exhausted feeling.  

7. Color

One of the most enjoyable activities for me is to color with crayons or markers like we did as a child. I will set aside 10 minutes when I am stressed to color and relax my mind.

8. Mini-Vacation 

Take a hour or two to travel to another town near by and grab lunch at a sit-down restaurant with friends. Not only are you getting out of the library, you are setting aside specific time for friends and getting fresh air. School is important, but so is your health and social life as well. 

9. Night with Friends

Plan a relaxing evening with some friends at home. I would suggest guys preparing a pot luck supper to catch up and enjoy food. For ladies I would suggest planning a spa night, where everyone brings some sort of treatment or ingredients for home-made recipes. Be sure if you are doing nails, everyone has their own sanitized nail file. Offer hydrating facial treatments and paint one another's toes. 

10. Alone Time

Some people just need alone time to relax. I would suggest using guided imagery, watching and participating with a yoga DVD, or even meditation.