Finals are Upon Us

Finals are under way at my University and that means that the stress is upon us as well.  Finals mean eating junk food late at night while you are studying, or not eating at all because you are too busy to think about food.  It also means your stress level can be through the roof, which can cause you to get sick, and make studying and taking those final exams even harder.  So, here are some tips to follow for finals!

1. Make sure you are eating.  Don't simply forget to eat because you are too stressed.  
2. Make sure you are thinking about eating, not just absent-mindedly nibbling on snacks while slaving over those textbooks or your computer,  
3. Also, choose snacks that will help with your studying.  Carrots, peanut butter, pretzels, celery, and fruit have all been proven to assist with brain function and study habits.  
4. Get lots of sleep.  
5. Don't stay up cramming until the wee hours of the morning.  It won't help as much as you think it will.  

When you feel yourself getting stressed and you know your brain is going to give up:

1. Take a study break.  
2. Take a walk around campus, or your neighborhood.  
3. Take a quick trip to the gym to release some endorphins and relieve that stress.  
4. Go grab a cup of iced coffee/tea/smoothie, whatever your favorite cool drink of choice is. 
5. Take a shower
6. Call a friend or your parents, make sure the phone call doesn't take too long, so you can get back to your studies, but sometimes hearing a familiar voice is comforting

Make sure when you study you are in an environment that suits your personal study preferences.  If you need noise, then play some music, if you need it silent, then go somewhere where you can find absolute silence.  

Do what works for you, and take care of yourself, so you don't get sick.  

Good Luck to all of you taking upcoming finals!