With finals, STAARs, and AP testing coming up, high school students are filled to the top with stress. By experiencing this overwhelming feeling, I’ve been able to work around it and have compiled a list of a few things that may help other students with de-stressing.

Take a walk outside-

The sudden change in your environment can help with clearing your mind. It diverts your attention elsewhere, allowing you to focus on yourself rather than obsessively stressing over something that is temporarily problematic. By going on walks, it has been proven to improve your focus, whether it be for school or your own personal life. Going outside to enjoy the clear air also lowers your blood pressure and has been proven to reduce your stress.

Do some relaxing stretches/breathing-

Taking a break from your studies and doing a few stretches or meditation can improve your focus for the next study session. Exercising reduces stress. So just like walking, stretching, yoga, or meditation can help reduce stress. These simple exercises like meditation can reduce your heart rate and help control your anxiety.  

Write out a list-

By staying organized, you can really help with reducing your stress levels. One thing that I really advise you to do during “dead week” -the week before finals week- is to make an organised list of to-do’s and study tips and plans. With everything written out, you can set priorities and get rid of all the other unnecessary clutter in your head that may contribute to your stress.

Write out your rant-

Venting can really help with alleviating stress. By internalizing everything, you are inadvertently hurting yourself by increasing your stress levels. Instead, write out whatever’s on your mind at that moment. Write it all out; whether it be about the subject you are studying for or why you are just so done with school. Like I said in my “Why We Should Journal” article, this type of “venting” or “de-stressing” allows for you to later go back and to solve whatever problem that was or is troubling you thus reducing a bit of the overwhelming feeling that we all have during finals week.

https://www.sharp.com/health-news/5-ways-being-outdoors-can-make-you-healthier-and-happier.cfm#:~:text=According%20to%20Price%2C%20being%20outdoors,related%20hormones%20cortisol%20and%20adrenaline.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/exercising-to-relax