Finals are here and I can hear the tears of many stressed out and overworked students.
It comes as no surprise that with finals season upon us, I hear things in passing, such as “I only got three hours of sleep last night!” or “I haven’t even eaten today”.
And although such comments can bring about sympathy from others, it is important to realize you should not let college and finals get in the way of your health.
If you don’t have time to eat during finals season, please eat! Make a schedule where you can get three proper meals a day without rushing.
And always drink lots of water, especially with winter here. Humans need food and nourishment, along with proper hydration during this time of year.
It is important to remain healthy so you can do your best during finals.
People tend to not get a lot of sleep from the late night study sessions they participate in or, they use the night as a time to relax after a long day of writing papers and studying for finals.
The best way to combat this is to study during the day, or even in the morning, instead of at night.
When you study at night, your brain is still active even after you put the textbook down.
This can make it very hard to sleep. So when you wake up, plan to study for an hour or before your classes start.
This is easier said than done as it requires waking up earlier.
However, if you go to bed at a decent hour and wake up after eight or nine hours of sleep, you should feel refreshed and ready to go. Don’t forget, the idea of “catching up on sleep” over the weekends is a myth. Your body needs sleep every night for it to function properly.
Overall, college encourages students to engage in behaviors that damage their health. It is important to combat this.
We need plenty of sleep, plenty of food and water, and then have plenty of time to study.
Also, make sure you help other students out. Saying words of encouragement, such as “you got this!” and “you’ll do great!”, makes an important difference.
These types of encouragement can boost up someone and help motivate them to achieve their goals.
I try to even do this with strangers, and although it may seem creepy, it actually makes their day a little better.
Spread the encouragement with your friends and people in your classes most of all.
Do not have a pessimistic attitude, such as “I’m going to fail”. Instead, think “I’m going to try my best, and that is all I can control.”
By thinking this, your stress levels will go down and you may even do better on your finals because of this.
Instead of the gloom that this time of year brings, try to encourage others, smile, and always make sure you take care of your health.
If you don’t, how will you ace those finals?
Emily Rubino
Opinions Editor