Sunday 13 December 2015

Latte Moment | De-stressing during finals


Kit And Ace's awesome neon sign! 
Hi Dolls!

Before I get into this post, I just want to apologize for not being as active on my blog! I am in the middle of finals at UBC and I unfortunately am swamped with studying :( I am almost done all my exams and will have lots of posts coming your way soon! I love you all Dolls! 

I am in the midst of final exams at UBC now and it can be quite nerve racking. My stress levels are high and it is uncomfortable being constantly anxious. The more irritated and worried I am, the harder it is to absorb the material I am studying. 

I find it very important to de-stress during the high stress finals week. This includes setting boundaries. I do NOT do any work past 9 PM. When the clock strikes 9, time is up, pens down and that is it. I will watch TV or go hang out with my family and just relax! 

Setting boundaries like when you are going to stop doing work are crucial because far too many of my fellow peers get into the awful habit of staying up late and studying into the wee hours of the morning. Then they go to bed and will wake up mid afternoon. Sleep is really important and not just getting 8 hours, but maintaining a regular sleep schedule. Doing the night owl during finals wreaks havoc on your body. It gets confused and you will find when you do finally get to bed, it will not be a restful sleep. 

Another thing I do to reduce my anxiety is to eat! When I get overwhelmed, I tend to not eat. I literally have done days where I will only have had one egg for breakfast and will not eat until I am feeling dizzy, irritable which increases my anxiety late evening. This is terrible! Our body needs fuel and the way it gets it is through dietary intake. When I do not eat, I am depriving not only my body, but my brain of glucose. If my brain is hungry, I really do not think my mind is going to want to absorb information. Not only do I try to eat, but eat food I enjoy! I will spoil myself and have comfort food like pasta and mashed potatoes and nachos. I know, not the greatest diet, but eating yummy food makes me happy and in turn reduces my irritability from stress. 


The gorgeous Koi Fish at the Telus Gardens - Downtown Vancouver


























Once lectures are done, I go into hardcore study mode and practically live at the library. Which also means I arrive before the doors open and leave at closing. That is a bit insane considering on weekdays, the library is open 9 to 9... 12 hours of just sitting and sloughing through material. Do you not just feel stressed reading that? When I just sit and study study study study study, the words on the page begin to blur together and I grow tired of the boring library environment. I just become lethargic and bored. 

At that point, I really am not getting the most out of my studying. Taking breaks are important! Not just to keep sitting in your chair at the library mindlessly roaming the internet. Your brain is not relaxing because it is probably still thinking about the material you were studying because the book are still open your table and you sitting still in the library. Get OUT! Go and get some fresh air. Make your break an actual break where you enjoy time and not continue feeling stressed. I love visiting the gorgeous Koi Fish at the Telus Gardens because the open water and high ceilings with the fish swimming through the water is calming and serene. Plus, I kind of act like a little child and get super happy and excited to see the fish up so close! But hey... It gets me relaxed! 

I know a lot of people like to take a hot bath with relaxing lush bath products, but it means I am alone and have nothing to do in the bathtub which ends up meaning my mind will be focused on how I could be spending that time studying. For me to truly relax, I need to get some social time because alone, I continue to fret. 

These are just a few things that I do to De-Stress during the absurdly high anxiety period of finals week. Just because these work for me does NOT necessarily mean it will work for you. Everyone is different! Do let me know in the comments below what you do to stay calm and relaxed to get the most out of your studying! 

Follow me on Instagram @PinkTeaLatte to keep up with all my daily adventures! 

BYES

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