If the Learning Commons of D.H. Hill is any indication, students this week are losing it over exams. I look around and all I see are the tight, frantic faces of students, bent in half over their textbooks with coffees in one hand and iPods in the other.
Students of N.C. State, why so much stress? I know that I’m no poster child for living a stress-free life, but really? Sleeping in the library? You’re pulling out your hair for something that can easily be avoided! A recent study shows that when you’re less stressed, you’re more productive, which translates to less time in the library and more time at home in your bed. Luckily for you, I’ve been compiling a list since freshman year of things to do to avoid stress. What follows is the Holy Grail of ways to remain happy, glowing, and gleeful during exam time.
Drink. Ok, calm down, I don’t mean alcohol (that comes after exams. Ever try to have a glass of wine and study for an exam? Don’t do it—it equals an F). Drink lots of water instead; it’s been proven that when you drink water, it makes your body calmer and healthier, which is a natural recipe for staying calm during exams. A cup or two of coffee doesn’t hurt either, just try to limit your intake because too much caffeine can make you jittery and hyper, which also does not help your studying habits. After a long day of studying, that glass of wine can come in handy too; just don’t get wasted otherwise your next day of studying will be wasted too.
Dance. On the way to a study session? Turn up your favorite old-school jam and car dance your way there (I suggest “Jump Around” by House of Pain). Even if you’re not in the privacy of your car you can dance anyway. I’m dancing right now, and I’m in the middle of the library. It’s okay, you’re all sleep-deprived anyway, you don’t even know what’s going on over here. Fist pump your way to an A!
Watch your fish. Mine’s name is Shasta. She likes to watch me study, and I like to watch her swim around her tiki statue. It’s been proven that watching fish swim around, or playing with your dog, lowers your blood pressure and instantly calms you, so take a few minutes and give your pet some play time.
Color in a coloring book. I’ll come home from a long day at school to find my roommate sitting at the dining room table, coloring in a Little Mermaid coloring book. There’s something about going back to your roots with some Crayola crayons and your favorite Disney movie in coloring book form that really relaxes you. I’ve picked up the habit, and my refrigerator is currently covered in artwork.
Play in the rain. Water is falling from the sky! Take a break and go get in it! Advantage: studying while soaking wet makes you concentrate more.
Go on an adventure. Now that it’s getting warmer outside, call up some friends and do something that you haven’t been able to do all winter. Wrightsville Beach is only two hours away, and if you bring your books with you then you can totally count a beach trip as a study session. The Carolina Ballet is currently performing “Romeo and Juliet” through May 9 too, and if all else fails, The bars on Hillsborough Street are a fantastic option if you’re 21 and older and enjoy getting drunk.
Spread some good karma. Something that I love doing, much to the annoyance of my friends, is letting people ahead of me in traffic. I don’t know what it is, but spreading positive energy really makes me happy since I know I helped someone else’s life a little bit. Help at least three people everyday and I swear you’ll be happier for it.
Do some yoga. Anyone who knows me knows that I’ve recently become obsessed with yoga. There’s something about the mixture of the breathing exercises (Pranayama) and the positions (Asanas) that instantly releases any stress I might’ve still had after all of the fish watching, coloring and dancing in the rain. Every yoga class ends with Sivasana, or the corpse pose, where you literally lay completely still and the yoga instructor leads you through breathing exercises designed to make you fall into a sort of half conscious state. If you haven’t experienced it yet I highly recommend it; after Sivasana, I always feel unbelievably peaceful and end up getting a lot done as a result.
If all else fails, just remember that summer is just around the corner. In just two weeks you’ll be out by the pool with a giant margarita, exams so far in the past that you can’t even remember if they were real or just a horrible nightmare. Just try not to eat too much junk food now, or instead the nightmare will be you in a swimsuit.
