The O-town Scene - Oneonta, NY
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/31419
Trust Me, I’m a Counselor by Lisa Ryther Don’t mess with stress during finals You made it. You are at the finish line, and the summer is in sight. Last stop, finals week. Are you stressed out yet? Many college students worry about final exams: how to ap- proach studying for them? What to study? and How to cope with the stress that increases both physically and emotionally during the last couple weeks of each semester. Keep in mind that some amount of stress comes with the territory, but you can take care of yourself with some of these tips: Do you have the time? Create a study schedule for yourself. Make a calendar and include important dates of assignment deadlines and exams. Create time every day to study for each exam and decide the place that you will call home during finals week. If you need a quiet place to study and you live in a noisy dorm, try the library or find another loca- tion that will allow little distractions so you can stay on schedule. Space out the time you dedicate to each subject to avoid burn out. Give yourself some love If ever there was a time during the semester to get some rest it is now. Get some sleep, eat healthy foods and try to get some exer- cise each day. Check out campus events such as movies and aerobic class- es, go for a swim in the campus pool or grab a free-reading book and crash somewhere quiet and comfortable. Schedule time for this each day before and during finals week. Your body and brain with thank you. People are better than drugs If you find that stress levels are bringing you down, don’t self-medicate by turning to drugs and alcohol. When you rely on drugs and alcohol to cope with stress, you run the risk of developing an addiction, which is a road you don’t want to travel. Campus counseling centers are there for a reason: SUNY Oneonta’s is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 436-3368. Hartwick College’s is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 431-4420. The campus crisis hot line is 431- 4200. The Bassett Hospital Crisis Line is (877) 369-6699. You can do it, trust me, just try some of the tips I have discussed to make it through finals week, don’t let your stress take you down. That’s my ad- vice, take it or leave it. Lisa Ryther is a counselor in the Col- lege Assistance Migrant Program at the State University College at Oneonta. May 12, 2011 O-Town Scene 5