As finals season and AP exams approach, many students are starting to feel more pressure to get their work done and study. While a certain amount of stress can help keep you on your toes, too much can prove to be unhealthy and will worsen your learning capability — truthfully, it can be a bit hard to find the right balance. Here are some tips on how to keep your stress levels under control this coming finals season!

• Don’t overwork yourself.

Continuously studying and doing homework without any breaks will only burn you out. Remember to give yourself breaks — get up and grab a snack or a drink! Taking breaks can be refreshing and rewarding after studying for a bit as long as you space them out correctly. Ensure you do not take breaks too often, or else you’ll end up with no work done at all.

• Spend time with friends and family.

Although it can be hard to find free time where everyone can get together, hanging out with your friends or family can really lighten the mood. Even a simple call can go miles, especially during these times where getting together in person can be more difficult. In the end, seeing the faces of the people you care about will prove to greatly lessen the weight on your shoulders.

• Take some deep breaths.

It’s a classic, but it works better than many assume. If you ever find yourself panicking over your workload or an upcoming test, stopping to take a few deep breaths will help you clear your head and calm your heart rate.

• Organize your work.

It can be really helpful to see a plan in front of you showing when you’re going to get all your work done. That way, you know when you are going to be busy and have to focus, and at the same time, you can have a better understanding of when you’ll have more free time and let yourself relax! Even jotting down some quick notes on your phone can help you make a schedule for yourself.

• Take your time.

Rushing yourself while studying won’t get you anywhere. To truly get a solid understanding of the material you are trying to learn, you have to be able to slow down and really take in the information in front of you. This also plays into why organizing your workload is so important — if you procrastinate too much, you’re going to end up cramming all your studying in one night, which is not optimal.

• Try picking up a new hobby, or work on an old one.

Spending a little time every day doing a hobby you enjoy can help way more than you think, whether it be something like playing or a sport or cooking! It can be hard sometimes to fit more fun activities in your schedule during such stressful times, but in the end, you’ll be grateful you took some time to relax.

The end of the year is approaching quickly, and we really are in the final stretch. Don’t let yourself become controlled by your stress — taking care of yourself is your top priority, so do what you believe is best for your overall wellbeing. AP exams and finals don’t last forever, and in a few years, this will all be another memory to reminisce over.