Alright, it's crunch time! (Given the nature of this blog, no pun intended.) Finals week is just around the corner, and that means a lot of things. No sleep. Late night eating, or no eating. Substituting meals for coffee. No exercise. Loads of stress. They should rename finals week to hell week! Here's some healthy suggestions to remain under pressure and be good to your body while getting everything done.
1. Prepare in Advance.
All you procrastinators out there are damaging yourself. It can't be all that fun parking yourself in a library for nine hours, memorizing loads and loads of information that you will eventually forget. According to UPenn's Health and Education Department, cramming often leads to confusing or blending different information. Kind of defeats the point, doesn't it? Instead, break up what you need to study into different portions and spread it out. Make a point of studying the material for 1-2 hours, and review the other material. You keep your information fresh, and you don't burn out. You also give yourself more time to do your normal activities.
2. Take a BREAK.
It has to do with planning, too. Your brain needs a break, just as your body would during a vigorous workout. I mean, in essence, your brain is going through a vigorous workout when you study. Give yourself a half hour or so to just relax. Watch a mindless television show, or go for a walk. I like to get a run in.
3. Sleep, sleep, SLEEP.
Pulling an all-nighter is a humungous, large, overbearing NO. NOOOOO. You need your sleep more than you can imagine. Your body needs at least 7-8 hours of sleep every day. 6 hours or less increases the risk of car accidents. If you don't sleep well one night, you know you feel it the next day. If you pull an all-nighter, or sleep for only a few hours (a long nap, if you will) you'll get into 'sleep-deficit' mode which impairs vision, reaction, judgement and most importantly, information processing. Bottom line: SLEEP.
4. Test Anxiety
The mere idea of being tested over material you've learned through out a few months (some of the material you've definitely forgotten already) on one test that is a huge factor to one grade is a lot of pressure. Not to mention, each class you're enrolled in is doing the same thing. The first thing to combat all this stress is to know what grade you have in the class. Then figure out how much the final affects this grade. Sometimes, finals will count as much as a normal exam and others count much more. Recognizing the weight of the final may help you calm down and focus. Plus, following the other steps will help as well.
5. Food.
I lost count how many times I've been told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Especially during finals week, this is very true. Studies have shown eating breakfast reduces overall fatigue and sleepiness in the body. Food acts as a natural stimulant. It also helps overall function. Most importantly, it improves concentration and alertness so you can focus on your final.
Also, late night snacking is a no-no. If you disregarded my previous tips and are in fact cramming, your body gets tired and "feels" hungry. You most likely aren't hungry as much as you are tired. Step outside the library and go for a walk with a friend. Keep hydrated by drinking a lot of water. You can drink tea, too.
So, those are the top five tips. Prepare in advance, take breaks, sleep, combat test anxiety and eat breakfast. Here are some good healthy snacks you can munch on on your way to the library or make for study groups.
- Popcorn has the good kinds of fats in it, such as monounsaturated fats. Pop a bag open instead of grabbing chips or even pretzels.
- Hummus! I love love love hummus. Chick peas, olive oil and spices blended together to make a healthy, tasty dip. Eat it with pita chips, carrots or celery sticks.
- Trail mix is a great choice, too. The dried fruits have sugar and the nuts have protein and fats to wake you up a little.
- Melt some dark chocolate and dip strawberries into them. Refrigerate the strawberries for a few hours and they will be ready to go!
- Salsa is only 10 calories per serving. Get a bowl of cold salsa with some whole grain chips, and your study group will love it.
Good luck on finals!
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