How to Prioritize Self-Care During Finals
Finals week is on the horizon and it can be one of the most stressful times of the academic year. Late-night study sessions and excessive coffee or energy drinks can fuel your student's anxiety about the big exams on their calendar. If your student is starting to feel consumed by the daunting stress of finals, suggest these four self-care tips to put their mind at ease and help them prepare for the weeks ahead.
Prioritize Sleep Schedule
Sleep is often the first thing to go during finals and yet one of the most important things a student can do. Without enough sleep, not only will students feel sluggish, but memory and motor skills can suffer, meaning less than optimal performance overall. Encourage your student to prioritize their sleep over long nights in the library. Sleep helps regulate stress and supports a healthy immune system, which is a necessity during finals and the holiday season. Remind your student that the key to creating more study time is good planning, not sacrificing sleep!
Hydration & Healthy Eating
Along with sleep, proper nutrition is often the next thing to get sidelined when their schedule is packed with classes and studying. Encourage your student to make healthy choices and not skip meals. This will give them the energy they need and fuel their immune system and neural function. Help them with a grocery delivery or send a care package of healthy treats for them to snack on while studying.
Don’t forget the benefit of hydration! Not consuming enough water can have a negative impact on cognitive performance. When you’re hydrated, your brain is awake and alert, a win-win for finals week. Send your student a new stainless steel water bottle to encourage them to stay hydrated during the final push of their semester. They can even show some school pride with one from the campus bookstore!
Exercise
Moving your body helps release tension and activities like walking, stretching, jogging and yoga can help students tackle stress and reduce anxiety. Exercise forces the body to focus on breathing, which helps our muscles relax and in turn, allows our body to feel more at ease. Encourage your student to take a long walk or even a yoga class during the week. They might even be able to find one on campus. Setting aside the time to focus on yourself outside of the classroom or library is a great way to prioritize self-care during finals season.
Balanced Breaks
It is easy for your student to get burnt out from lengthy study sessions and test anxiety. Encourage them to combat these feelings by taking balanced breaks and making time for things that energize them. Maybe this ties into exercise, or a quick lunch break with a friend. Whatever it might be, remind your student that it is okay to take breaks. Not only will this give their mind some time to decompress, but it will help them feel rejuvenated when they get back to the books.
At College Success Plan, we understand that finals week is not only a challenge for your students, but it can be emotionally taxing on parents as well. Know that our team is here to support you and your student each step of the way. Click here to get in touch with our team of college coaches today.
Note: College Success Plan receives a small compensation from purchases made through our links.