Student Advice for a Smooth Finals Week

Finals week is fast approaching, and with it, the pressure that end-of-semester projects and exams can build. The team of peer wellness educators in Berklees Office of Student Wellness Promotion and Services has a few tips for making it through finals week with your sanity intact. Read on for their advice.

Break Down Tasks into Manageable Steps I break tasks apart. For example, if I have to read 40 pages of a book, I read about 10 pages each day. This keeps my mind fresh to better understand the concepts and helps me avoid getting stressed, because I know it is a realistic and achievable goal.

-Diana Cortes Sanchez, music therapy major

Step Outside the Bubble I make it a priority to be as present as I can outside the Berklee bubble.' On stressful days, I'll do my best to go to the gym, the park, or my favorite restaurant that isn't near school. Often, the feelings of stress come alongside classes or things happeing on campus. Making a conscious effort to free myself of the physical space of campus can sometimes alleviate that stress (or at least help diminish it a bit!).

-Haley K. Clay, musical theater M.F.A. student

Channel that Nervous Energy Elsewhere When I feel stressed, I funnel that energy into a purposeful activity: going for a run or a walk, doing yoga, writing a list of what I need to get done, or calling a friend to do something productive with me. I feel better when I am around friends: even if we're doing our own thing, it's comforting knowing they are there. I find it easy to procrastinate when Im feeling stressed, so I will try to do exactly the opposite by thinking about what my outcome would be if I were to be productive versus if I were to procrastinate.

-Jamie Smith, songwriting major

Just Breathe My favorite way to ease stress is to remind myself to breathe deeply while walking to and from classes. Those 10 minutes of fresh air and sunshine can turn any stressful day into a manageable adventure.

-Amy Anderson, musical theater major

Look for the Joy My musical roots are in classical piano, though Im not a piano principal at Berklee. I spend some time each week playing classical music to keep my joy and passion for music alive. I also keep certain times of day free for spending time with friends and/or doing something that brings me joy. This helps especially when I feel overwhelmed by the stress in my life (be it emotional, physical, financial, or academic), as I am reminded there are moments of reprieve and joy to be found anywhere.

-Lyzz Zinn, songwriting major

Related categories:

News

Related Reading

5 Ways to Manage Stress During Midterms During midterm season, it's important to take time for self-care, avoid procrastination, and reach out to friends and loved ones for support.

Breaking a Sound Barrier with Captain Marvel Berklee Today

Spring

2019

Volume

30

Number

3

Antonio Hart: A Good Practice Session Should Bring You to Tears The accomplished saxophonist and professor shared career advice and recounted the first time he met the late trumpet legend, Roy Hargrove.

More from Berklee Now

Most Popular

Berklee Alumni and Faculty Nominated for Grammy Awards 28 Berklee alumni and two faculty members were nominated for Grammys across 17 categories.

Latest

Student Advice for a Smooth Finals Week Read advice from Berklee peer wellness educators on how to survive, even thrive, during finals week.

Berklee Contemporary Symphony Orchestra Performance Spans Countries, Cultures, and History Inspired by an iconic John F. Kennedy quote, the BCSO selected each piece to be written by a composer from a different country, embarking on a global musical journey.

Former Fox Music President Robert Kraft Makes His Own Lane The longtime film music executive offered advice to Berklee students on withstanding the constant changes of a life in the industry.

Read All

Subscribe The latest sounds, stories, and ideas, sent to your inbox weekly.

Berklee Blogs

Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

Instagram

Snapchat

Soundcloud

Spotify

LINK:	https://www.berklee.edu/news/berklee-now/student-advice-de-stressing-d...
	See more stories from berklee

Most recent headlines