A Catamount’s Guide to De-Stressing During Finals Week
Well, it’s that time of year again. You met your yearly quota of pumpkin pie consumption about two weeks ago over Thanksgiving break, Church Street is decorated with bright holiday lights, and your classes are finally over. You can practically taste winter break on your tongue. But there are just a few small things to take care of first: finals.
Between your exams, papers, holiday shopping, packing to go home, and ugly Christmas sweater parties, the stress is inevitable. Your list of responsibilities is almost as heavy as your desire to lay on the couch and watch constant reruns of Elf. We get it. And that’s why we’re here to give you the scoop on how to keep your cool during finals week- or at least try to.
1. Living Well De-Stress Central
UVM was voted “Most Zen Campus” by Her Campus last year, and that’s mostly thanks to UVM’s De-Stress office, Living Well. During Finals week, Living Well is our safe haven. Beginning Thursday, December 10th, Living Well’s De-Stress Central kicks into gear to provide you with everything you need and more to zen out during finals week. Stop by Living Well any weekday between Thursday the 10th and Wednesday the 16th for free massage, free snacks, Tucker the therapy dog, crafts, tarot card readings, free peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and more! Click HERE for more info!
2. Bounce Break
When your professors say “jump,” you say “how high,” right? This year, UPB and Living Well have paired up to give you a de-stress experience like you’ve never seen before. Take a little BOUNCE BREAK on Thursday, December 10th between 1 and 3 and head to the Davis Center atrium for a bounce house, carnival food, corn hole, and more! PROVEN to make you feel better about your orgo chem exam.
3. Living Well’s relaxation room
Did we mention how much we love Living Well? One of the best kept secrets at UVM may be their relaxation room. Ever tried it? Now’s your chance! It’s available for 15 minute slots throughout the whole day, every day. Stop by at the beginning of the day to sign yourself up to experience the heavenly massage chair and use the TV for Netflix or guided meditation. Can you think of a better way to press pause on your day?
4. UVM Men’s Hockey vs. St. Lawrence
What better way to de-stress than with a little catamount pride? Take a break from your studying to cheer on the Men’s Ice Hockey team for one of their last games of the semester as they take on St. Lawrence at the Gut on Friday, December 11th at 7:05 pm. And don’t forget, it’s Star Wars Theme! Dress up in your favorite Star Wars apparel for the chance to win tickets to the next Star Wars movie! Click HERE for more info.
5. Sleep and spend time with friends!
We know it seems crazy to sleep during finals week, but it really is SO important for your wellbeing, and may even be the key to getting a better grade on your exam. Sleeping improves memory of recently learned material, which is why some researches say it’s best to study before bed, or nap after a long study sesh. Sleeping has also been proven to increase creativity by stimulating the emotional center of the brain, which may come in handy when you suddenly have to speak for your absent partner during a presentation. And remember to spend time with friends in between studying! They can provide you with support and encouragement and may even be able to give you a few laughs, which has also been shown to lower stress levels in the brain.
Now go out there and crush those exams! Happy studying, catamounts!
