By: Sarah Hofstedt, CSUN Public Health Intern
You are almost there. They are almost over. The end of the semester is glistening on the horizon, and you are poised to come out victorious. Finals week (and the week before it, when all your papers are due) can be extraordinarily stressful for college students. Here are 20 suggestions for releasing all of that tension you built up during the final moments of the semester.
Sleep
No more sleepless nights studying, at least for a while. Take a nap. You earned it.
Eat a delicious meal
Whether it’s a $60 steak at a restaurant with a dress code or an unusual new burger at Fuddrucker’s, eating an especially scrumptious meal is a great way to reward yourself at the end of the semester.
Go out with family and/or friends
Spend time with people you enjoy at a place that does not remind you of school. Try a pub.
Cuddle your pets
They miss you.
Go to a concert
Summer concerts are all over Southern California, and watching musicians do their thing without any pressure on you to take notes can be so relaxing.
Exercise
Or just take a walk. Your workout routine may have been interrupted by studying, but that’s no reason to let yourself stop working out.
See a comedy show
Laugh it up! If you can’t afford the two drink minimum, hang out with your funniest friends for a couple hours.
Treat yourself
Now don’t go crazy, but a manicure or a new steering wheel cover may be a nice treat after exams.
Focus on a hobby for a few days
Forget about school and dive into your model train making. Or whatever it is you like doing.
Read for fun
Don’t take notes.
Enjoy nature
Take an hour to explore the outdoors and really experience nature. Notice the scent of the plants, and how animals behave. Watch a bee fertilize a flower. Listen to some birds sing. You’ll feel connected to Mother Earth in no time.
Go to a theme park
Nothing like a rollercoaster rush to clear out those post-exam jitters!
Visit a convention
Whether you’re into anime, robotics, bodypainting, or horror movies, there is a convention out there for the nerd in everyone.
Experience nostalgia
Watch a movie from your childhood, or go to a restaurant you haven’t been to in years. Go the extra mile by recreating a positive memory with the same food and people.
Burn old assignments
Make sure you don’t need them, and then light them up! Do it outside, and keep a fire extinguisher handy.
Clean up your space
All the time you spent cramming for exams, and you never noticed how many McGriddle wrappers have been crammed into your tiny trashcan… Take some time to tidy up.
Play a video game (especially with a friend)
Coordinate with a pal to defeat Bowser, or smash up the town as goats together. However you do it, keep it light.
Have a spa experience
A full body massage and facial is luxurious, but if you can’t afford that, try getting a simple pedicure.
Create or consume art
Draw, sing, write, or sculpt something from the heart. Or, if you prefer not to be the artist, visit an art museum or see a play.
Visit a fortune teller
Ask about where you should put your focus this summer. It’s fun to hear what the cosmos have to say about it.