Simple Tips for Finals Week

By Maria Fernanda Pereira Ywazaki on December 31, 2014

Tis the season to be jolly for the semester is almost over and the holidays are coming! The end of the semesters is always stressful for everyone. Professors have to correct exams or papers and turn in grades and us students have to write those papers and take those exams.

For those whom finished their first semester, congratulations! You survived! For those whom are graduating, congratulations! You did it! One more week and you’re home free. Whichever is the case, we all have to go through exams week and do our best to finish graciously. The stress is a little consuming, which leads us to neglect certain things that are still equally important: eat well and rest.

Being healthy means that your body will be in optimal condition for your exams, so sacrificing meals or sleep could be considered counterproductive. Of course, we all have been there, the stress of it all fuels us with what feels like an unlimited amount of adrenaline. This makes us feel as if we are OK, but the body might have other ideas. You would not want to be too neglectful and end up fainting during your exam, only to have the professor think you were sleeping and fail you (true story, thankfully not my own).

So during finals week, make yourself rest. Studies have shown that the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) in the sleep cycle helps us process and retain information. Hence, it’s good to sleep enough after studying for the time spent to not go to waste. Also, the brain needs nutrients and glucose to work, which might explain the hunger we feel after studying for a few hours.

Let’s not forget about breaks, too. The brain grows tired of the same activity after two hours and loses “power” to deal with it, be it studying for a subject or writing a paper. Taking 15 minute breaks will help your brain rest and to get back its power. If you feel like there is no time to waist because you’re short on time, then try doing something productive but a different activity. For example, if you’re studying for math, but also have a paper due, take a break from math and start on the paper.

For finals week, let us eat and rest and best of luck to us all!

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