A Relaxing Guide to a Student Self Care
Graphic by Chloe Bechard
Students walk wistfully past each other, heading to their destination with studious determination, whether it be in the cozy Caribou Coffee shop off of Washington Ave., filled with the comforting smell of coffee beans, or Walter Library where a simple study session in one of the halls invigorates a sense of prestige.
Midterms week has graced the campus, and yes, while it is vital to study hard and well to make sure to pass or even do exceedingly well on exams, it is equally important to decompress prior, during and after midterm exams.
Before the exam
It is essential to get a good amount of rest and sleep prior to the day of your midterm. According to Colgate Professionals, it is recommended to get at least 8 hours of sleep before the day of an exam. It’s also important to get good rest, which affects the quality of sleep.
Many times, students find it hard to get good sleep because they are unable to properly rest beforehand. They are still fired up from their intense study session or day. So make sure to take some time to get some awake rest. This could be reading a good book or watching your favorite TV show.
For dinner, or your meal before you go to bed, make sure it is filling and nutritious. This will help you sleep well and it helps start your day even better. On the morning of your exam, make sure that you have a nutritious breakfast as well, this will help to make sure that you can be wide awake for your exam. A nutritious meal should include protein for energy, fruit to give you antioxidants for focus, and a great amount of water to stay hydrated.
An example of a nice and filling breakfast that you can make is a yogurt bowl. Add some greek yogurt of your choice, granola, honey, fruits, and any other topping of your liking in a bowl and you’re done! This gives you a great amount of energy needed for your exam from the protein in this meal. Protein oatmeal is also a nice option that will give you energy for an exam, due to the protein content, while being quick to make. Quaker and Kodiak have great ones.
Lastly, try to not cram before your exam. It might be tempting to make sure that you got everything down, however, cramming has been shown to mainly have negative effects. According to research done by Stanford University, cramming can cause higher levels of anxiety and stress, which consequently makes it harder for the body and mind to properly focus on the material, thus making you not remember as much of the information.
So, instead of cramming, replace that with a brief review of topics you might struggle with or think you might forget. This way, you get a tiny review that can be helpful, and you can go to sleep peacefully.
During the midterm
It is completely understandable to have a lot of anxiety and nervousness about how you will do and the contents of the exam. Maybe you might think “Did I study enough?” or “Gosh, what is the answer to that again?”
Letting your mind race with worries and doubts does you no good and might actually make you do not as well because you’re thinking less of yourself. Instead do a calming, short breathing exercise. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 5 and then exhale for 4 seconds. Repeat this until you feel calm and comfortable to start or continue the exam, or until your heart rate slows.
Also, challenge your thoughts of doubt by saying positive affirmations in your head. For example repeat: “I am smart. I have done everything I can do to prepare and believe in my abilities. I will remember everything I studied.” It’s even better if you can make more specific and personalized affirmations. You got this!
When it’s over
Phew. You’re finally done with your midterm. Even if you feel like you might have not done your best, you can at least have the relief of being done with it. You deserve to treat yourself for all of your hard work, in and outside of the exam room.
First of all, take a long nap, you deserve it, you might have some built-up stress from taking the exam, so your body and mind will most likely be tired. Once you wake up, try to do some stretches or yoga, this will further relax your body and release any tension that might have accumulated during the exam.
The Recreation and Wellness Center has wonderful group yoga sessions occurring throughout the day, starting from 8 a.m. and ending at 7:45 p.m., from Sunday to Thursday. Note that a FitPass is required for this activity. It costs $40 for students and $50 for non-students.
To end off your midterm exam day, take a nice hot, steaming shower. Unfortunately, the dorms don’t have tubs to take a nice, soothing bubble bath, so as a substitute, taking a long, steaming shower can give the same luxurious feeling. Once out of the shower, get yourself a sweet treat and watch your favorite show. You deserve it.