As students shuf?e in from Thanksgiving break, two weeks of intensive studying and exams separate them from going home for a longer reprieve.
This week, popularly known as dead week, is the time for students to hit the libraries for long hours and study nonstop in order to ace their ?nals. Although studying is an essential part of college, the stress it causes can also adversely affect students’ bodies.
“In small amounts, stress can have positive effects on our bodies, such as making us more alert and energized,” said Caroline Boxmeyer, an associate professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral medicine. “However, when we face larger or more continuous sources of stress, our bodies can develop a range of physical dif?culties, such as headaches, stomachaches, anxiety and irritability.”
Boxmeyer said continuous stress can manifest itself in a number of symptoms, often in ways that can make the original problem worse.
“These stress responses are exacerbated when we do not keep up with self-care practices, such as getting enough sleep, regular exercise and maintaining a healthy diet,” Boxmeyer said. “We also become more susceptible to physical illness when we are experiencing signi?cant stress.”
Unfortunately, it is harder to keep up with self-care when experiencing speci?c stressors, such as ?nal exams, and self-medication can often only make the problem worse.
“Using alcohol, tobacco or drugs actually exacerbates stress, rather than relieving stress,” Boxmeyer said.
Fortunately, there are some things we can do to minimize stress.
“To minimize the effects of stress on our bodies during a particularly busy time, it is important to keep up with health practices, such as sleep, diet and exercise, and to avoid alcohol and drugs,” Boxmeyer said. “It is also important to break down tasks into manageable steps and take frequent breaks to relax.”
Madison Powers, a freshman majoring in international business, said even though it’s her ?rst experience with dead week, she is already feeling the stress.
“I had ?nals in high school, but the material I’ve learned here in college is much more extensive,” Powers said. “I am prepared for an exhausting week.”
The ways in which we conceptualize its sources can also play a role in how intensely we experience stress. For example, setting a realistic plan for a test and following it, rather than seeing it as the be-all, end-all of academic success, can help mitigate stress.
“It is also essential to watch the messages we are giving ourselves, which can be signi?cant sources of stress on their own,” she said.
Boxmeyer, who also works at the University Medical Center, said the center experiences a larger increase in need for mental health services around ?nals and the holidays.
Abby Reyes, a sophomore majoring in business and psychology, said preparing for finals can often be more stressful than the tests.
“Of course dead week is stressful; it’s almost more stressful than the actual ?nals themselves,” Reyes said. “Dead week is when all the studying, learning, memorizing and cramming happens.”
