It’s that time of year again! Finals week is quickly approaching, and for many, this can be an incredibly stressful time in the semester.

Stress and fatigue tend to be the culprits when it comes to poor academic performance.

Often, students are tempted to consume superhuman amounts of caffeine to keep up with the sheer amount of work that they must put in towards studying.

Or, if you’re like me, you’re probably trying to balance out your RuPaul’s Drag Race obsession with your study time.

However, in the midst of all this craziness, it is important to be kind to yourself and others. After all, we are over a year into a global pandemic.

Breaking up your study time into manageable chunks is one way to save yourself some stress. For example, you might study for your Biology final from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and then take a short break.

Another example of finals self-care is rather cliche: face masks. No, we’re not talking about the masks you must wear in campus buildings. We’re talking about sheet masks, which you can find at the dollar store. Doing something small for yourself, like a face mask, can go a long way in improving your mood.

Watching your comfort shows can be another form of self-care. You can reward yourself after long hours of studying with some Outer Banks. (Personally, I’m Team John B.)

If you need someone to talk to about finals stress, go to the Counseling Center on the third floor of the Friedman Student Union. The counselors and interns are always happy to help and listen to your problems. Plus, it’s paid for with your student fees.

Most importantly, you must eat right and get reasonable amounts of sleep. A balanced diet and good amounts of sleep can go a long way towards an A.

Good luck on finals week, demons and remember: always be kind to yourself and others!