By Da’ Ron Frost
Staff Writer
College can be stressful, but stress takes on a whole new meaning when the semester is ending and finals are approaching.
Since they’re a huge part of their final grade, students need to perform well during finals. Finals can consist of exams, projects, papers, or any number of creative approaches professors choose.
It is important that students don’t become overstressed, as it can cause trouble when trying to focus, make problems seem bigger than they really are and decrease performance on exams.
A relaxing place to get quality work done can be beneficial to staying focused and doing well during finals.
The CSUDH Library offers that to students and is here to help them relieve any finals-related stress they are dealing with. The library offers various study-break events aimed at releasing tension.
Library Liaison Michelle Moore knows the stress finals can put on students, as it is usually a big portion of final grades.
She advised students not to cram their schoolwork and be well-prepared.
“Start studying early, take lots of breaks,” Moore said. “It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
CSUDH offers other opportunities for students to prepare for finals, such as the Toro Learning Center, where students can receive tutoring.
To cope with stress, students can visit the meditation room in the Loker Student Union or visit the Student Health Center to talk with Ph.D.-level psychologists to resolve any personal issues they are facing through individual sessions.
“Being able to use the psychological services, if you do feel like you need to talk to someone about time management, stress management, anxiety, panic or anything like that, is very helpful,” Joann Aragon, health educator at the Student Health Center, said.
Aragon believes taking time out to relax the body is important for a student to keep stress levels down during finals.
“Take care of yourself,” Aragon said. “It is important to eat well, sleep and rest, take time to do things you enjoy. Don’t look towards drugs and alcohol or any sort of harmful habits to help you cope because that can be a slippery slope, but (look toward) doing things that make you feel better — exercising, going for a walk, reading a book, walking your dog and hanging out with friends.”
Finals are the last hurdle students must face before enjoying the summer break, which can be a strong motivator to help them get back to their natural frame of mind.
“[Finals] are temporary and, in about two to three weeks’ time when a person completes their finals, they can get the chance to relax, breathe and gather their thoughts back up,” Aragon said.
The Dominguez Hills Library is open for extended hours during finals to give students a peaceful place to study and do their work.
