It’s that time of year once again! The end of the semester is already here, and we need to put everything we have spent the past semester learning to the test – literally! You might find yourself becoming overwhelmed by the amount of stress that final exams stir up, especially in the midst of a pandemic and a stressful election season. However, there are a few things you can do to prevent letting the stress of finals week get the best of you:

• Make sure to get adequate sleep (7-9 hours each night) 
• Spend time outside instead of isolating in your room
• Eat a balanced variety of foods that make you feel fueled AND satisfied!
• Take (off-screen!) study breaks and spend time stretching, walking, meditating or having a quick snack
• Move your body with yoga, jumping jacks, running, dancing or whatever brings you joy and mental clarity
• Stay connected with friends and family via texting, video chatting or phone calls

Ask for help and use campus resources like The Learning Center (tlc.uni.edu), the Counseling Center (counseling.uni.edu) or Wellness Coaching (studentwellness.uni.edu/wellness-coaching)!

Looking for more ideas? You are in luck! Student Wellness Services (SWS) and the Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC) are having a Self-Care Sweepstakes that is full of self-care practices you can do yourself and challenge your friends to do with you! You can find our sweepstakes on the SWS and SHAC social media pages. Follow these steps to be entered to win prizes:

1. Complete and check off 3 self-care practices.

2. Take a screenshot of your sweepstakes card and email it to [email protected] or DM us on one of our social media pages by Nov. 19 2020.

3. Go above and beyond! Take a selfie of you doing your favorite self-care activity from the list and send it to us to be entered to win our grand prize: a self-care package!

You can find self-care and stress management resources, like our self-care workbook and gratitude journal, at studentwellness.uni.edu. Questions about the sweepstakes? Email us at [email protected].

One of the best ways to combat stress is to practice self-care. Taking care of yourself is vital to protect your well-being, and EVERYONE should practice self-care! Practicing self-care before and during final exams is important to prevent excessive stress and burnout. Get a jumpstart on your self-care through completing self-care activities in the Self-Care Sweepstakes! Good luck Panthers!