Stress Busters!

By Bridget Leonard

(image c/o heavenlyhands2heal.com)

Test time at TJ is like taking medicine when you are sick: nobody likes it and nobody wants it, but it’s necessary for progress. Not only that, but like medicine, the tests been known to cause side effects — the side effects from final exams can include headaches, drowsiness and even a little bit of nausea (to name a few).

Luckily, there are ways to kick the stress that the HSAs and semester finals have caused for so many at TJ. If any exams you have coming up are causing you to have panic attacks, the first thing you must do in order to get rid of your stress is simple: calm down. Take a couple of deep breaths to settle your nerves and slow down your heart rate. Next, stretch out your arms and legs for a while, and when you feel you’ve stretched enough, shake around for a few seconds. This will cause the physical stress your body has accumulated to vanish.

If yoga-like exercises aren’t the cure for your stress, you may want to kick it up a notch. Those who prefer to move around a lot rather than a little would find that working out will help ease any stress. Run a few laps, play a game of basketball, jump some rope; whatever you do will help knock down the stress levels.

On the contrary, if you are far too exhausted to exercise, there are plenty of ways to still relax. Naps and warm baths cannot go wrong, and neither does reading a book (not a textbook; you’re probably sick of them) or getting a massage at a local spa. In fact, why stop there? Do an entire spa day! After all, a day of pampering and relaxation is an ideal reward for working so hard to ace a test.

Whatever you choose to do to calm your nerves before the exams, just remember to do your best. And always remember: keep calm and carry on!