Your Healing Space: Managing Finals

Wellness @ Columbia

Your Healing Space is our weekly newsletter that focuses on YOUR health and wellness.  We hope you'll be able to put these ideas and practices into good use in support of your education and life goals. Your physical and mental health MATTERS.

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Managing Stress for Finals

1. Pay attention to your needs: Your body needs sleep, food and water to function. As much as it might be tempting to neglect these basic needs in hopes of cramming work in, the effeciency and quality of your work will suffer if you do that, even for brief periods. 
   • Bring snacks to your cram sessions
   • Take power naps if you're staying up late
   • Go easy on the caffeine - try eating a light meal to help stay alert
2. Try to work with someone: Having a study buddy can help keep you on task, and if they are in the same course as you, may have absorbed things you didn't and vice versa.
3. Break things down: If you procrastinated and now you've got to get a big assignment completed, it can be overwhelming to look at the end goal. Break it down into smaller parts and focus on its individual components. 
4. Take breaks: Even when you are feeling productive, it's important to take breaks. Take 5 minutes to check in with yourself, see if you need a snack or bathroom break, do some breathing exercises or stretch your legs for a moment.