By staff
It’s that time of the school year where late night study sessions are too common, and students are asking teachers if there’s any extra credit to help boost their grade. That’s right. Finals are right around the corner here at Benicia High School. During the few weeks prior to finals, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the pressure of needing a good grade on one test or your grade may tank. Such pressure can make one feel anxiety. Oftentimes, a good way to deal with anxiety is simply by focusing on distractions instead. Though scrolling on social media may seem like a good distraction, and though sometimes it is, it can worsen anxiety and make one feel bored. This leads them to refocus on their anxiety. Instead, hobbies are a good distraction, so here’s a list of hobbies and activities to try instead.
- Yoga/exercise
Oftentimes, anxiety kicks in when one is stuck inside. Going for a walk can allow you to get outside, which is good when needing a change of scenery. Going for a walk may give you more time to think, sometimes thinking while actively moving helps rationalize anxious thoughts, prompting solutions or plans rather than spirling deeper into negative emotions. Running often requires more focus, which makes it a better distraction rather than an outlet to think. Yoga is also a good option to give your body some movement while helping provide a quiet time to contemplate.
- Read
Perhaps you really don’t want to have any time to think, and you’re too tired to move your body. Still, you know scrolling through social media isn’t the best option to relieve stress. Reading can be a great alternative. Pick up a comfort read or a light-hearted book you’ve been wanting to read. Reading doesn’t always have to be tied to an assignment or trying to activate a deeper level of thinking. I know it may sound silly, but even just reading an old children’s book can be a good distraction.
- Journal
Sometimes, anxiety can make your thoughts feel fuzzy and impossible to make clear. Your mind looks like a room full of screeching birds that are trying to escape, flying around wildly. This can make it hard to pinpoint emotions, which makes it harder to understand how you’re feeling. Sometimes simply being able to name the emotion you’re feeling can help you relax. Journaling is a great way to see your emotions. Don’t be afraid to write anything that comes to mind. Often, we just need to say how we feel but are too scared to. Writing provides a useful alternative.
- Color/draw
Another viable option for relieving stress is coloring or drawing. Not everyone is a fantastic artist, and that’s totally okay! You don’t have to be skilled in a hobby to enjoy it. You can draw something intricate or something super simple. Follow a tutorial or simply draw doodles and lines.
- Make a gift
Sometimes, helping others really means helping ourselves too. Making a gift for someone can help feel more satisfied because you’re doing something good for someone else. Instead of thinking of your anxiety, you’re thinking about how to make someone else happy. Write a letter, bake cookies, buy flowers, make a card, draw or paint a picture for someone. The time spent on that will be more valuable than panicking about a stressful situation.
- Clean
Having a messy space can cause anxious feelings to increase. Sweep and tidy up your room, bathroom, kitchen, and/or living room. Even if all those places are clean, you can still clean in other ways. I’m sure your refrigerator hasn’t been wiped down inside in a while. Reorganize a pantry. Do some laundry, do another hobby while the laundry is being washed and dried, and then fold and put your clothes away. Cleaning up a space can often feel rewarding and help actually create a space for relaxation.
- Make a playlist
Making a playlist that matches how you’re feeling or even how you want to be feeling is a great way to acknowledge your current state of being while actively trying to change it. Sometimes listening to a song that explains your exact situation or feeling makes you feel understood. Or sometimes listening to a song that sounds and feels like how you wish you felt can help actively move your emotions in that direction. You can even make multiple playlists to prepare for all different kinds of occasions.
- Hang out with friends
Though this one may seem obvious, sometimes anxiety or stress can cause isolation. It feels easier to sit alone and repeat the same thoughts over and over, picture the worst case situations, or just sit with your negative emotions. However, sometimes the best distraction is truly not even having time to think about it. Spending time with friends is a definite way to fill up the time you have allotted to stress.
- Bake
Baking requires you to focus on each step, making sure you are using the correct measurements and ingredients. Plus, at the end of the process, you get to treat yourself with a delicious treat!
- Study
If the reason you feel stressed is because you have so much studying to do, sometimes the best way to combat that is to actively give in. The longer you delay, the worse the stress is going to get. Now, you don’t have to read an entire book in a night or finish 20 assignments or write 500 flashcards. Set a timer for 10 minutes to see what you can get done. If you feel accomplished, take a break. If you feel you have time for a bit more, set a new, small goal for yourself. Even turning your phone completely off and setting it in the next room is a valuable option to encourage studying.
Most of all, simply remember that finals will soon pass, but if you’re not worried or stressed about finals but instead about something else, life will move on and you will find great things to experience!
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