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What is important to you?

“And every day, the world will drag you by the hand, yelling “This is important! And this is important! And this is important! You need to worry about this! And this! And this!”

And each day, it’s up to you, to yank your hand back, put it on your heart and say “No. This is what’s important.” 

―from  pleasefindthisI Wrote This For You by Iain Thomas

This week is UBCO’s designated reading break.  Yet, while we call it a “break”, I am almost positive that many of us will still struggle with balancing our academic, social, and personal lives during the next few days.  Let this be a reminder to you – to be mindful of your values/priorities; as well as self-compassionate as you find the fine balance for yourself during this time.

Treat Yo’Self!

Stressed. Panicking. Tired. Worried. Did I mention stressed? If you talk to any UBCO student during finals season and ask them how they are feeling, you are more than likely to hear a few of these adjectives (and others that may not be appropriate to say). Finals week is always one of the most stressful period during the university school year, dreaded by every student.

With finals coming up, students may sacrifice their well-being in hopes of getting better grades. Ideally, students try to prevent an end-of-semester avalanche by planning ahead, but sometimes work piles up for even the most organized student. It is not unusual that some students will feel overwhelmed with final exams, projects, and final papers. You may stop sleeping, your social life may seem more in shambles and you probably don’t shower as much, right? Yes, I know no one wants to admit to the shower thing but you know it’s true! So, what if I told you there is hope? Are you intrigued now?

How exactly can you make it to the end of the tunnel after finals week? To quote Parks and Recreation I say “Treat Yo’self”. I know it doesn’t sound like an easy thing to do during finals. We live in a world where productivity and efficiency are constantly pushed, especially as a student. I know many of you probably feel the same way I do, but even though I might be a stranger trust me, self care is one of the best ways to prevent you from crashing and burning. Self care is one of the best ways to reduce the crippling anxiety and stress that you may be experiencing during finals. Throughout the past five years at UBCO I’ve come to realize the importance of self care during finals so I thought I would share some of my tips with you all:

puppy

Snuggle a puppy
Take some time out to cuddle an adorable puppy from B.A.R.K. Who can resist the adorable face and the beautiful personality of the puppies. B.A.R.K. has a room full of adorable puppies every Friday from 4:30 to 6 PM in EME 1123 and they will always put a smile on your face.

 

 

Get in some zzz
I cannot emphasize this one enough! Multiple studies have shown that sleep deprivation actually make a student do worse during exams. I always thought that if I stayed up and studied more I would do well on my exams and have just a little bit more time to study. I was wrong and it took me four years to realize it. Learn from my mistakes! Being tired while studying does not help retain any of the information you are trying to learn and decreases your performance during exam time.

psnTake advantage of the resources you have on campus
Remember you are not alone! Many students are going through the same struggles that you will be going through during finals season. Make sure you take your time out to go talk to someone if you are stressed out. Come talk to one of your fellow students at the Peer Support Network on campus. We are a resource centre completely run by students for the students and are always here to listen. We are not trained professionals but rather provide a listen and refer service for students. If you are intrigued feel free to email us at psn@ubcsuo.ca. Don’t forget we also have the wonderful counsellors at the Health and Wellness!

Take breaks
Know your limits, play within it. Your brain can only handle so much information at one time. Don’t torture yourself by studying for hours on in; take a break! No one will benefit from you being locked up in your room all day. One strategy that has always worked for me is 25 minutes of intense studying and a 5-minute break to look at my phone. This is often very effective, but make sure you put your phone away after the break, turn off that show on Netflix and get off Facebook or Instagram or any form of social media you may be using.

breatheJust Breathe
I know you hear this time and time again, but it helps! When you are feeling overwhelmed just breathe in and breathe out. If that doesn’t help, find other healthy ways to relax. Take a bubble bath or go to the gym.


Remember Your Basic Needs

At the end of the day we are all humans and your body needs some attention as well. A human needs food, water, and sleep. Don’t forget to eat healthy and shower. Some times people just need a reminder so use those colourful sticky notes and write a reminder to yourself!

-Naaz Grewal
B.Sc Student | PSN External Coordinator| QPR Instructor