Stress and success: How to have a stress-free Finals Week
Finals Week can be a scary and stressful week for students on campus. It is a common sight to see nervous students frantically flipping through pages in the library or reviewing flash cards while they bustle to class.
However, there are many things students can do to reduce that stress.
Alyssa Quinn, junior in mechanical engineering, said nothing helps her reduce stress like taking fake engagement pictures with boys.
“When I need to clear my mind, I take pictures or give funky new hairstyles to my roommates,” Quinn said.
Luckily, there are many fun ways to reduce stress during the crazy time of finals week. Jim Davis, medical director at the Student Health and Wellness Center, said stress management is critical but avoiding stress can stop a student’s progression.
“There is a healthy balance between stress and growth,” Davis said. “We could not grow, thrive or develop on any level without stress.”
Davis said if success is expected, there must be some stress in every realm – athletics, emotions, physical characteristics and test taking and anxiety.
Davis strongly encourages students to figure out what stress relieving techniques helps them best manage, not avoid, stress. Davis said he suggests socializing, but not substance abuse at a party, because it has proven to be a positive way to reduce stress.
Kelsi Callister, freshman in elementary education, said she loves joining in on her roommate five-minute dance parties that happen every hour in her apartment during intense times of stress.
Callister also said she loves to throw random, fake surprise birthday parties and go for strolls through the cemetery when she needs to clear her mind.
“Dead people can’t stress me out,” she said. “They are already dead so I can just walk around in peace.”
Several people use walking or exercise as a stress reduction method. Another common method is people watching/observing.
Ashley Ylst, junior in elementary education, said she prefers fish tanks to people.
“I like to watch the fish at Wal-Mart,” Ylst said “They are calming.”
While fish watching at Wal-Mart may relieve stress for some, Davis suggests to avoid shopping as a stress management method.
Davis said a recent study proved that shopping increases the risk to be in a high stress group by three times the normal amount.
In addition to shopping, Davis said prayer was another method that was surprisingly suggested as counter productive to relieving stress. He said the study also suggested some protective factors for stress reduction including sleeping, calling a parent, singing and playing an instrument.
However, Davis said students need to learn what works best for them.
“I personally go to my happy place,” he said.
Davis said he likes to imagine digging his toes in the warm sand or he reflects on memories from his childhood. He said students can physically turn away from the source of stress by closing their eyes and focusing on other visual images.
“Stress is the salt of life,” he said. “Without stress, life would have no flavor.”
Davis said the more stress one has, themore potential a student has at succeeding. Davis said as stress increases, accomplishments increase, until one hits the point of burning out, which is when stress becomes counterproductive. Everyone just needs to know how much stress they can handle before they burn out, Davis said.
Brian Laird, junior in mechanical engineering, said everyone has something special they can do on their own.
“Juggling gets my mind off of my problems,” Laird said, “because it’s rhythmic and distracts me from the troubles of school.”
–courtney.schoen@aggiemail.usu.edu