As finals loomed over the heads of the student body at Wilsonville High School, students continued to learn the balance between studying for their final exams and having good mental health. In the midst of finals week, it can often be difficult to keep that balance, of finding when you have not studied enough or when you have over done it. However, studying too much at a time can often lead to more stress than one can handle. 

Sometimes, the best thing to do when you are feeling as though you will never finish all of your assignments or anxiety for an upcoming final exam is to simply take a break. Walking away from studying for a break can often be beneficial to students’ mental health.

Studying for finals can often feel exhausting, especially when you have spent hours in your room or the house without a break. For some students, it is helpful to take some time outside in order to reorganize their thoughts. A change of scenery can often be beneficial when students are beginning to feel burnt out.

One student who takes advantage of going outside to clear their head when the weather permits is Henri Villeneuve, senior. “One way that I like to decompress when I’m super stressed out for finals is by going on walks with my dog. Sometimes just going outside sort of helps me to clear my mind and calm down.” 

When studying for finals, it’s important to shake up your surroundings every once in a while. Students often try to cram as much information into their memory as they possibly can as the stresses of finals continue to build. However, by going outside, students can shed some of the overwhelming emotions that they hold as they enter into their finals.

While decompressing during finals week may seem like an unmanageable thing, it’s important to maintain that balance of work and relaxation. Another way that some students like to relax during finals week is by spending time with their friends. From going out for a quick bite to eat to just saying hello on a call, many students have found that having someone to talk to that can relate to what they are going through can help to ease some of their stress. 

Nathan Wilde, senior, is one of many students that feels less stressed when surrounded by his friends. “One way that I decompress is going on drives with my friends. We like to just turn up the music and sort of just avoid thinking about our exams for a little bit. I think it helps me to just enjoy the time that I still have in high school and stop worrying so much about things I can’t really control.”

Finals week is a stressful time for students no matter what grade they are in. From freshman to sophomores, students feel the pressure as the semester comes to an end and grades are finalized. While it’s important to make sure everything is turned in and do well on exams, it is equally important for students to remember to take care of their mental health. So go outside, take a breath, and remember that you are worth more than your grades.