Since finals week is coming up, and projects/exams are in full motion, I decided to dedicate this blog to ways of relieving stress. Since I and most people on this campus are college students, I understand that finances are important for making these stress relieving activities happen. Therefore, here are some budget friendly options that can really bring up your mood and energy during and after the challenges of finals week.
Planning a “date night” with friends: I found that one of the most helpful things I have done to get me through the semester is picking out one night of the weekday to have fun with my friends. This can be done in multiple ways: You can plan a movie night in your dormitory (or go to the movie theater for 8 dollars via campus center), go bowling at Sunset Lanes on Tuesday night for dollar night, prepare a home-cooked meal with friends, having a game night via video games or board games, or go off-campus to window shop at the mall. It is not about what you do, but about when you do it. Taking an evening off during the week for a leisure activity can un-clutter your mind and can even help you to study more effectively. (Helpful Tip: try to avoid going to sleep late while doing this activity)
Physical Activity: Exercising is a great way to de-stress your body and promote positive energy. Try taking a morning jogging session around campus on a nice day or going to the nearest gym for a workout session with a buddy. Exercising releases good hormones into your body and can provide a good distraction from the stresses of exams and projects.
Home-made facial masks: The internet is full of recipes for every skin type out there! Using affordable ingredients in these recipes are not only a natural alternative to expensive facials done at a salon, it actually works. Whether its organic honey and lemon, oatmeal and banana, turmeric, vinegar or yogurt these face mask have no harsh chemicals as well as soothe those stress pimples and acne people tend to get during stressful times. It is also a fun activity to do any day of the week with friends because you can talk during the creation of your masks and relax while it’s on your skin, trust me your skin will thank you afterwards.
Unplug: Take a break from technology and the outside environment by unplugging yourself from it. It may be challenging for some because we live in such a technology driven world but doing this allows you to meditate on your thoughts and be aware of your body. Relax your spirit with a cup of tea and meditated breathes perhaps even a short power nap to help you get through the week.
Laugh: Find something or spend time with someone that can make you laugh throughout these times. Laughing has been proven to lower stress hormones, soothe tension and stimulate your organs! So try to laugh and slow down a bit during finals week, it is a challenging time where you push your limits but remember “this too shall pass”. Best of luck to my fellow peers!
UAlbany Project MyStory 
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