Mid-Term and Finals Stress Relief Tips

Finals stress is virtually universal among high school and college students. In fact, if you're in the throes of finals, a little stress may be inevitable. Hectic study schedules, exam anxiety, and feelings of overwhelm are common around this time. And, because stress can make it more difficult to think clearly and remember facts easily, heavy levels of stress can be counter-productive for students. Fortunately, there are things you students do to effectively manage this stress--or make things worse! Be sure you're doing the right things to keep stress at bay. The following resources can help you relieve the stress of finals season, and hopefully fare better on our final exams.

Learn What Works

Combating test anxiety, getting enough sleep...what are some other things you can do to make the whole experience of finals less stress-inducing? And how do you put these ideas into practice? Read on for more effective finals stress relievers.
Low-Stress Study Tips for Mid-Term and Finals Season

Avoid Self-Sabotage

We're all just doing the best we can, but students often unwittingly make things more difficult for themselves by making common mistakes when studying for exams. Knowing what works, and what might make things more difficult, can help you avoid common pitfalls that make finals stress a larger obstacle than it needs to be. Stop pulling all-nighters, pounding the caffeine, and...well, read on to find out what else you should avoid doing, and why.
Common Student Mistakes To Avoid

Learn To Manage Exam Stress

Tests themselves can be stressful, even when it's not finals season. If you can take some of the stress out of the process of test-taking, you can reduce anxiety you may feel while you study, reduce stress leading up to final exams, and likely score higher as well. Here are a few effective strategies for managing test anxiety.
How To Manage Test Anxiety

Create A Regular Stress Management Plan

When we're less stressed, it's easier to learn, period. Because learning is most effective if it takes place throughout the semester, it's best to create a plan to relieve stress on a regular basis, rather than only when we're feeling overwhelmed. Even a few small changes can make a big difference for stress relief, so adopting some stress-relieving habits now--and maintaining them throughout the semester-can bring bigger overall rewards.
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