Finals Week at Wilsonville High school is creeping up on us. The set dates are January 22-24. Finals are typically comprehensive tests given to students at the end of the course of study or training. The purpose of finals is to determine how well a student has prepared and learned throughout the entire term. So if the student has done what they were supposed to, finals shouldn’t be incredibly difficult. However, most students–even if they have been committed to studying all term–still find themselves stressed out as finals week approaches. While preparing for finals, the stress and anxiety can be at the ultimate max. Good ways to relieve stress and anxiety are by studying effectively and giving yourself brain breaks. Some good techniques are: Getting a study group together, taking healthy snack breaks intermittently, and taking time to get up and do physical activity periodically. Bella Kleiner, a senior at WVHS, mentioned that her favorite way to study for finals is by getting a study group together and going to the public library. “The public library is really quiet and I know there won’t be any distractions. My friends and I always sign up for a room, so then we have a place to work and help each other.” Both our brains and our bodies need to be fueled as we prepare for finals. Many students rely on caffeine or sugar to get them geared up, but unfortunately, those sources of energy are not long lasting and can have detrimental effects. A better choice to get one’s mind and body recharged is to take a quick jog around the block, drink some water, and have a handful of almonds. 

Another great stress relief idea that is being tried on many university campuses is the use of therapy dogs. Because most university students are away from home and don’t have their own pets nearby to interact with, universities are bringing in dogs trained to help ease stress. Campuses have found that these programs are highly effective. According to a report by CNN,  “scientific studies do show that canine interaction increases a human’s level of oxytocin, a hormone that reduces anxiety and blood pressure. Petting a dog or caring for a pet helps people become less frightened, more secure and diverts their attention away from their own fears or anxieties. Studies also show excessive stress, like the kind students may experience during finals, impairs memory. An activity that relieves that stress even for a moment improves a student’s ability to retain what they are trying to learn. (“Therapy dogs help students across the country survive finals” – CNN). Many WVHS students have a pet at home and can take some time to interact with their canine, feline, or other animal friend in order to relieve stress. For students who don’t have a pet, maybe our high school administration would consider bringing therapy animals to the library during finals week to help kids manage their stress levels. 

    Getting a study group together, taking healthy snack breaks, and interacting with pets or therapy animals can really help someone get through finals week. Our education and grades are important, but so is our mental health!