5 Effective Ways to Reduce Stress During Finals Week

The last exam week of the spring semester is here. When you think of finals week, everyone thinks of studying with friends until the morning, consuming copious amounts of coffee, and staying up until the last exam day.

5 Effective Ways to Reduce Stress During Finals Week

''Negative thoughts affect me and I have difficulty focusing on the exam.''

''I study a subject for a long time, but I forget what I know during the exam.'

''I'm afraid of getting a low grade, so I can't concentrate on the right answer.'

''I get nervous during the exam and feel the need to go to the toilet all the time.'

''The exam time is not enough for me and I can't finish my questions.'

The last exam week of the spring semester is here. When you think of finals week, everyone thinks of studying with friends until the morning, consuming copious amounts of coffee and doing nothing but studying until the last exam day. The final exam period is a stressful time when every student experiences various negative emotions. It is quite normal and common for students to have negative thoughts during this intense and challenging period.

In this article, we will share some effective ways to cope with finals week stress. If you are also experiencing finals week stress and do not know how to cope with it, it is useful to listen to our suggestions below.

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What are the Ways to Deal with Stress and Anxiety in the Final Semester?

1. Write your exam schedule
2. Determine the best study technique for you
3. Remove distracting objects from your work
4. Do not neglect your eating habits
5. Don't isolate yourself from social life

We have tried to share with you some important points to make the final semester more productive and worry-free. Let's discuss these points in more detail.

1- Write your exam schedule

When your exam calendar is published, first write down the dates on a piece of paper and keep it in front of you. Avoid the thought that "I can look at the exam schedule on the phone or ask my friends, so I don't need to take notes". Because being planned and scheduled during finals week is the first step to success. However, this does not mean that every moment of the day should be spent thinking about the exam schedule. On the contrary, this will force you to stress more than you think. At this point, what you need to do is to record the exam date and time somewhere and spend a worry-free and stress-free semester until the exam day.

2- Determine the best study technique for you

Studying hard in the final semester does not always mean studying efficiently. It is important to focus on a subject and determine the right study technique to make it memorable. With the right study technique, it is possible to get efficiency even from the most challenging subjects. Applying Pomodoro, Cornell and Nimonik techniques during exam weeks will help you study more efficiently. Of course, it is not right to apply the same technique for every student or for every lesson. First of all, you should determine how much difficulty you have in which subject and then create a study plan. Every student can achieve success if they work with the right technique.

For More Information: What are Catchy Study Techniques?

3- Remove objects that distract you while you work

When studying, make sure your desk is free of objects that make it difficult to concentrate on your notes, books and notebooks. You can keep your phone or computer with you to use online learning applications. However, every notification on your phone will distract you and keep you from studying. Therefore, we recommend that you do not use your phone if you are not busy. The lighting, the comfort of your chair and the noise level in the environment are some of the factors that will make it difficult for you to focus. By paying attention to these, you can create an effective and efficient workspace for yourself.

4- Don't Neglect Your Eating Habits

Maintaining your eating habits while studying directly affects your concentration. Take care to consume nutritious foods, especially during exam weeks. Instead of snacks such as junk food, you can choose light foods such as nuts and yogurt with fruit that will keep your mind fresh. If you do not consume enough water, you may experience headaches and lose your motivation to study. In addition, excessive coffee consumption will cause sleep problems and make you feel tired during the day. Another mistake is to eat too much food. Over-saturation leads to fatigue and sleepiness. This negatively affects mental performance. Therefore, we recommend that you pay attention to your health routines during finals weeks and choose light and nutritious foods.

5- Don't Isolate Yourself from Social Life

Finals are the most important week of the academic year, but don't let your studies distract you from your social life. Taking time for yourself in the midst of intense studying will both relax your mind and restore your motivation. You can spend time with your friends or family, find something to do outside of class or use this time to relax. Engaging in your hobbies will boost your self-confidence, while getting together with friends will help you clear your head. However, the important thing here is to maintain a balance between work and daily life. You can maintain a more measured work pace by adjusting your working hours accordingly. You can renew your energy and work motivation with small breaks that will not put your social life on the back burner.

Final weeks are the most intense period of student life. Although stress and anxiety can arise during this period, there are practical ways to cope with them. If you are unable to comprehend what you read while studying and are unable to transfer what you have learned to your peers, we recommend that you reconsider your study plan. First of all, you can shape your study plan by creating an exam schedule, and you can use your time effectively by determining the appropriate study technique for yourself. However, be careful not to neglect your daily life in order to study. Remember, no matter how stressful the exam period is, it is in your hands to be successful!