Final exams will be here soon, but the stress does not have to be, some University of Memphis students said.
"I like to write poetry and that relaxes my mind," freshman journalism major Lekesha Malone said.
Spending time away from school is what helps, according to sophomore nursing major Shelley Yawn.
"I need my free time, otherwise I'll go crazy," Yawn said. "What I love is to ride horses and that gets my mind off it (stress) the most."
Having balance in one's life plays a vital role in decreasing stress, according to Dr. Barbara Bekis, educational support program coordinator at the U of M.
"It's a cliche, but getting a good night sleep is a big one," said freshman biology major Shahin Samiei.
Another important way to reduce stress is to manage one's time wisely, Bekis said.
"When you spend more time worrying about something, then you spend less time looking for a solution," said archaeology graduate student William Devore.
Students should write down their class assignments, project due dates and times they are going to study on a calendar, Bekis said.
"You have to have a plan, and you have to follow the plan," she said. "The best way to reduce test anxiety is with proper test preparation."
Bekis said to find out what material one is expected to know on the exam. If a student does not understand something on the exam, then he or she should ask the teacher for clarification, she said.
"Your teacher can be your best friend," Bekis said.
Studying with two or three people is also an effective way to reinforce the material, Bekis said. There should be a specific time limit on the number of hours to study because this prevents the group from spending too much time chatting and not enough time reviewing, she said.
"My rule of thumb is to have study time equal twice the length of your test time," Bekis said.
Devore said he starts reviewing his notes a week before the exam. He said he does not do any studying one hour before the exam because it could result in second guessing on the exam.
"If you are looking at the test material one hour before the exam, then you don't know the material," Devore said. "You say a couple of Hail Marys, and you dive right into that test."
