With finals coming up at NSU, stress levels are especially high for students, including Marisol Coto, freshman interdisciplinary studies major.
“I do experience stress and anxiety when taking my final exams, and I try to think of positive things to calm me down,” Coto said.
Final exams and projects can be stressful for students, and it is important to be prepared for them to lessen stress levels.
April is Stress Awareness Month, a time to spread awareness about the stress and anxiety that students can experience every day. There are many ways to prepare for your final exams at NSU, all of which can be very beneficial to students to avoid stress during this time.
Visiting the Tutoring and Testing Center (TTC)
The Tutoring and Testing Center at NSU is open to all students Mondays through Fridays.
“The TTC provides a variety of services for students as they prepare for final exams,” Cortney Stein, director of Academic Support Services in the Tutoring and Testing Center, said. “The TTC offers one-on-one appointment-based tutoring for math, science, computer science, engineering, neuroscience, French, and Arabic.”
The TTC is on the second floor of the Student Affairs Building.
Until April 27, there are many drop-in locations across campus with academic success coaching. They are in places like the Student Affairs building, The Carl DeSantis building, The Mako and Commons Residence Halls and over Zoom.
Students can book an appointment at the TTC through Navigate. Tutoring can oftentimes help students succeed on their exams as they are approaching finals.
Visiting the Writing and Communication Center
The Writing and Communication Center is available to help students write their academic papers, resumes, creative writing projects and more. Graduate assistant coordinators in the WCC, like Courtney Rosenthal, are available to work with students on lab reports, presentations and other writing assignments they have.
“Our graduate assistant coordinators have a specific overview of what the Writing Center entails,” Rosenthal said.
The WCC is on the fourth floor of the Alvin Sherman Library. To schedule an appointment, visit nova.myWConline.com.
“We offer appointments every day of the week,” Rosenthal said. “I think it’s good to have that connection with the campus.”
Organizing a study group
Organizing a study group among fellow classmates and friends can be helpful to students studying for finals, students said. Engaging with the material and understanding new topics and ideas as a team can further understanding of a subject. If students are unsure about their exam or have some lingering questions, their study group can be beneficial to their understanding, providing them with different perspectives from their peers. Not only can study groups be engaging and eye opening, they can build friend- ships between classmates.
“My roommate and I always study together; it helps me stay focused and engaged while learning and studying,” Cianni Mosco, freshman biology and pre-nursing major, said.
Creating a group Zoom or FaceTime call to study can also help students who commute and cannot drive to campus.
Attending office hours
If students are struggling with their exam material or have any questions, visiting professors during office hours can help.
“This was beneficial to me be- cause it helped me understand the question that I was asking my professor,” Mosco said. “It helped me for future exams and assignments.”
Many professors hold office hours for students to help them with anything they may need. During office hours, professors may even cover material that is going to be on the exam and help students prepare. Attending office hours can also build a connection between students and their professor, as it shows that students are eager to do well in class. At office hours, many professors will work through practice problems with students and/or review their work.
Staying healthy
It is known that staying healthy during exams can possibly help students obtain clearer thoughts, less brain fog and more focus. Although studying for final exams is very import- ant, so is taking care of your mind and body.
“I like to exercise, eat balanced meals and treat myself whenever I’m feeling stressed or anxious,” Mosco said.
When asked what she does to stay healthy during finals week, Coto said, “Getting enough sleep and eating a good breakfast for energy.”
Sleep is essential for the functioning of bodies and minds. If students are pulling all-nighters to study for their exams, this can actually increase stress levels as well as susceptibility to illnesses. Students may feel the need to cram studying for exams and stay up all night, but this tends to hurt them rather than benefit them.
Finals week can be a stressful time for students, but these tips can be useful to lessen stress levels.
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