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MICHAEL STRICKLER/Arizona Daily Wildcat
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First-year anthropology graduate student Rob Jones does his class reading in a less stressful environment, the lawn in front of the Arizona State Museum.
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By Joe Ferguson
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Tueday, December 7, 2004
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No matter how much students do to prevent it, exams are almost always accompanied by stress.
David Salafsky, a health educator with Campus Health Service, said being prepared is essential to managing stress and making sure it does not break down physical, mental or emotional health.
"Planning ahead so you are not up against a wall is good way to reduce stress," Salafsky said.
Campus Health suggests the following tips to make finals easier to get through:
Limit your sugar, caffeine and alcohol intake.
Salafsky said food high in these ingredients can make students experience quick peaks in energy, followed by periods of tiredness and inactivity.
"You need foods that won't bottom out," Salafsky advised.
Get eight hours of sleep.
"Plenty of rest is important, it helps make sure that you are at peak performance levels when finals come around," Salafsky said.
Break up study blocks with errands, other activities.
While studying is important, Salafsky suggests students do something active to break up study blocks with other activities, such as errands, coffee breaks with friends and exercise.
Plenty of exercise.
Salafsky said exercise is an excellence way to heighten concentration levels, as well as to break up study sessions.
"Exercise is very important; it helps you decompress," Salafsky said, suggesting students spend 30 minutes a day exercising.
Create a proper study environment.
The Campus Health Web site recommends students create a quiet study environment with few distractions, similar to the environment in which they will take the test.
Perfectionism can be self-defeating.
The Web site also cautions against the "Pitfalls of Perfectionism," saying some students will have unrealistically high expectations of themselves, and often establish personal goals that are virtually impossible to achieve.
Fear of failure to achieve these goals and expectations can sometimes lead to mental and emotional paralysis, according to Campus Health. This perfectionism can be self-defeating - leading some students to procrastinate or suffer from panic attacks at exam time.
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