As the school year wraps up, we find it important to remind all students to take care of themselves throughout the stressful exam season. The last few weeks of the semester are often responsible for students’ stress. For this reason, we encourage all readers to utilize self-care and keep their mental health in-check.
While studying for exams is necessary, it is more necessary to ensure one’s physical and mental health is well managed. There are multiple ways for students to do this. Using Student Counseling Services can be a simple way to receive advice from a counselor on how to combat stress. Services for students are offered online and in-person. Students should take advantage of this, as they may be struggling to make it through the last few weeks.
The University’s Student Academic Success Services offers various support programs as well. These services are meant to aid students’ learning and studying practices. Students can schedule appointments or use online guides.
Some forms of self-care can be done individually. These involve an emphasis on self-reflection and mindfulness. Reading a book, drawing, meditating or exercising are great ways to practice self-care, and have proven to be helpful in combating mental health problems. It’s important for all of us to take time to relax and enjoy activities that break the stressful routine of finals.
Unfortunately, most students struggle with another form of care: sleep. One study found that students with regular sleep schedules had a higher GPA than those who did not. It is vital to avoid all-nighters, period. Regulating sleep by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day can contribute to having more energy throughout the day. A method for guaranteeing adequate sleep time is to set an alarm for when it’s time to sleep as well as an alarm for waking up. This will ensure long hours of focused studying won’t impede sufficient sleep.
Besides taking care of ourselves, we should also be mindful of how people around us feel. We are all experiencing great challenges. Understanding that numerous challenges and stressors exist in our campus community is a great way to create a happy living environment. We wish all students on campus the best of luck with finals and hope the studying will pay off. We encourage all of you to get through these tough last weeks, after which we can all enjoy the summer with our friends and families.
