Now that spring break is behind us and the end of the semester is in sight, it is time for students to refocus themselves on classes.
With only five weeks left of the semester finals are coming up faster than you think. Sooner or later the nights of students will be packed with study sessions and long nights at the library. However, when students get into the routine of studying they sometimes sacrifice taking care of themselves.
Here are some tips to ensure your health during finals week:
Drink Coffee
During finals week, students turn to drinks like coffee, soda and energy drinks to stay awake and focused during their classes and last minute study sessions.
St. George resident Jake Turner is a frequent visitor at The Harbor, a local coffee shop on Tabernacle.
He said: “Whenever I am stressed about anything,whether it be about school or work, I come here. Coffee is vital to morning routine — especially around finals. It wakes me up and keeps me focused during my study sessions.”
Turner visits the shop once every week and almost every day during finals. He said drinking coffee keeps him nourished throughout the day and helps him avoid an empty stomach.
Sleep
Getting an adequate amount of sleep is an important factor to acing your finals, said Christina Muse, a senior dental hygiene major from Las Vegas.
Muse said: “I have been through many weeks of finals so you can guess that I have tried many different studying techniques. However, nothing is more important than the amount of sleep you get.”
Seven to nine hours of sleep is the ideal amount for optimal performance and energy, according to leading experts.
“Pulling an all-nighter is the worst thing you can do in my opinion,” Muse said. “Getting the appropriate amount of sleep it important to students of all class levels.”
Set Goals
Setting goals for yourself during finals week is recommended by Malika Cubley, a senior nursing major from Las Vegas.
“I like to procrastinate on everything,” Cubley said. “But after years of doing so, I’ve realized that it does not help me at all — if anything it makes things worse for me.”
Cubley says studying is important and if you don’t set study goals for yourself, you will find yourself cramming for a test at the last possible moment.
“The key is to practice self-compassion,” Cubley said. “If you don’t study regularly you will procrastinate and that will create more stress for you.”
