Studying is important – but so is wellness
There’s no denying that exam time is stressful. That’s why you need to focus on ways to take care of yourself – physically, mentally and emotionally – while you focus on your studies.
From our experts, here are ideas on how to do that. Study hard! But also eat well, sleep well, exercise and relax. Good luck!
1. Find your favourite spot
Solid studying needs a great place to happen. Happily, there are many such places at NAIT’s main campus. Grab a coffee and settle into the one that suits you best, whether it’s a haven of silence or an bustling spot that reminds you that you’re not alone.
2. Boost your energy levels (in healthy ways)
Copious quantities of caffeine are not the answer! We’re not saying give up coffee; it’s about balance. Eat right, drink lots of water, exercise, be aware of the low-energy points in your day and experiment with eliminating them through energizing activities. Check out these tips.
3. Try to stay positive
Being negative is natural – expecting the worst is an evolutionary holdover that helps us anticipate and survive threats. But staying in that state won’t help much right now. Here, Personal Fitness Trainer chair Kate Andrews offers six ways to change your perspective.
4. Sleep well
Sleeping well makes us better at being awake. We’re not going to tell you that you need to get a solid eight hours a night (but you should). But a NAIT counsellor has ideas on how to make the most of the hours you do get. Get into the right frame of mind, don’t try too hard, and never take a certain something into the bedroom. Rest assured, these tips will help.
5. Protect your eyes
How many hours a day do you spend looking at a screen? Probably a lot. That can lead to very sore eyes. A solution is in sight! Particularly if you wear glasses, consider these six tips from grad Tana Currie (Opthalmic Dispensing – Glasses ’06, Optical Sciences – Contact Lenses ’08), owner and lead optician at The Vision Parlour.
6. Hang with Flynn
It’s a “ruff” job but someone’s got to do it. Since September 2013, Flynn, an Australian labradoodle and NAIT’s assisted therapy dog, has been a presence on campus, bringing a warm, fuzzy sense of calm to whomever he meets. Sounds good about now, doesn’t it? Check his schedule for a visit.
7. Get some exercise
You don’t need to hit the gym or have a lot of equipment to get a sweat going and relieve stress. When gyms closed and dumbbells disappeared from store shelves, trainer Brittany Uchach (Personal Fitness Trainer ’05) developed this simple but comprehensive program. All it takes is 20 minutes.
8. Stop grinding your teeth
Waking up with pain in your jaw? Or headaches? Stress might be making you grind your teeth at night, which might also be interfering with your sleep, which might be getting in the way of studying. Here’s what to know and do about it.
9. Try meditating
Yoga instructor Amanda Bell-Tardif (Personal Fitness Trainer ’09) starts and ends her day with 15 minutes of sitting and focusing on her breathing and how her body feels. That’s it – and it changed her life. Maybe it can help you with getting through with exams, too. Here are her tips.
10. Eat well
A tight exam schedule is no excuse to eat poorly – after all, your brain is working overtime. How do you do that if you’re short on time and money? Ernest’s Dining Room executive chef Rylan Krause (Cook ’12) has tips that will keep you well fed through the next few weeks and beyond.
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