Final exam week begins Monday at Charleston School of Law and one thing is for certain, this is the season for stress and anxiety for many law students.

Below is a list of five tips that will help minimize the effects that rigorous studying can place on a student’s mental and physical health:

1. Practice time management
Before you crack open a book and begin studying for finals, take 15 minutes and create a study timetable. This exercise will help eliminate the guesswork and improve your study habits. There are tons of reputable studies that show stress and anxiety are directly related to our time management skills when studying for exams.

2. Sleep
Prioritize your sleep schedule. Poor sleep patterns lead to increased stress. The answer is simple: Get more sleep, reduce more stress. Don’t make it difficult by mixing alcohol or caffeine (often referred to as the “study drug”) into your system. Alcohol may help you get to sleep, but you won’t feel rested when the alarm goes off the next morning. And caffeine? There’s no doubt that Starbucks, soft drinks and/or power drinks will jumpstart your system, but stimulants will also wreak havoc on your sleep schedule and will likely add additional stress.

3. Social media distractions
According to Statistica, the average American will spend anywhere from 90 minutes to more than two hours on social media per day. Social media is the enemy – at least for the next week or so. Tapping around Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube will eat away at your study schedule. Avoid the distraction social media creates and simply unplug.

4. Exercise
You may not have an hour to hit the gym every day, but if you can take a 10-minute walk, you can get some major stress-relieving benefits. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, a 10-minute walk may relieve as much stress as 45-minutes of rigorous exercise. Exercise may also help you clear your mind and refocus so that you can get a fresh perspective on a study subject.

5. Talk to someone
Remember: You are not alone. If you find yourself feeling anxious, stressed, or irritated, take advantage of the Wellness resources available through the Charleston School of Law. If you feel like stress is getting the best of you, stop and talk to someone.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Cristy Lorente, assistant director of Student Wellness and Success at 619.750.3586.