Just two weeks stand between Grand Valley State University students and the holiday break. Only one week of classes and one week of finals and then students are free to relax, let Mom make them a real dinner and drink hot chocolate to their heart’s content.

However, these two weeks are anything but easy, so it can be hard to go into them with an optimistic point of view.

“I feel like I can’t take a single second to breathe,” said Abby Oates, a GVSU junior. “To get to the point where I feel prepared in one class makes me feel behind in another because I neglected it for a day.”

Yoga and Pilates are two ways to encourage a full mind-body experience to lower stress, said Kathryn Norman, a Pilates instructor at GVSU, but the important thing is to get moving in any way possible.

“Any style of exercise has the ability to boost the feel-good endorphins and is a useful tool in managing daily stress,” Norman said.

Another way to help reduce stress is to eat healthfully, said Fawzi Abbas, a biomedical sciences and chemistry professor at GVSU who teaches a course on nutrition.

“Never skip breakfast,” Abbas said. “Eat small frequent meals to keep your blood sugar and energy levels steady.”

Abbas said to limit caffeine intake during finals week, and to keep healthy snacks on hand such as nuts, raisins, cheese sticks, low-fat yogurt and cottage cheese, low-fat milk, etc.

Sleep is often the first to go when college students start studying for exams, but a full night’s sleep can be a weapon against stress. According to About.com, “Getting more sleep can help your mind refocus, recharge, and rebalance.”

Sleep loss is also linked to depression, according to research at the University of Michigan, and it can decrease academic performance.

In addition to making sure you relax and log enough sleep hours, you should also not stop having fun or taking care of yourself.

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