FINALS - COLLEGE STUDENTS

Zara11
Zara11 Posts: 1,247 Member
edited September 19 in Motivation and Support
So, finals are coming around, and there's a crapload of homework. My eating and exercise are tanking. I would write more... but gotta do a math project instead of going to the gym. Ugh.

Anyone slipping with the stress?

Replies

  • Zara11
    Zara11 Posts: 1,247 Member
    So, finals are coming around, and there's a crapload of homework. My eating and exercise are tanking. I would write more... but gotta do a math project instead of going to the gym. Ugh.

    Anyone slipping with the stress?
  • stef_e_b
    stef_e_b Posts: 593
    Yes. I reach for anything because I'm just trying to get in all my last minute assignments and study like mad. But, I know I can do great in the summer and I'm trying not to judge myself too harshly, but I don't want to make excuses either.
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    Nah. Exercise is a part of my life just like homework. I don't slip on either. I just manage my time veeeery carefully and am often sweaty. :wink: Things are finally winding down now that I've finished my capstone experience. Now I just have 2 quizzes, an exam, and a project to do before finals week. Nothing can bring me down because I start my new lab job Friday!!! :happy: :happy:
  • Maria061
    Maria061 Posts: 118
    Zara11,

    by Your post shows You had lost 22 lbs, that is great.

    During a finals not to worry much about gym. just watch the calories intake and You will be just fine.

    GOOD LUCK with finals,
  • Zara11
    Zara11 Posts: 1,247 Member
    Stef - I need to surround myself with fruit. Like, raspberries or grapes or something.

    1Maria - Thank you! :flowerforyou: And I didn't eat 3.5 cookies today. -AHEM- But no snacking tonight. I SWEAR.

    songbyrdsweet - OUCH! love it. i need to adopt that mentality NOW.
  • KKluvUSC
    KKluvUSC Posts: 37
    Ah, Finals... what a lovely time. But, I am so grateful to be going to the school I am, so it balances out. I understand your stress, but make the time for yourself to work-out. It will help your focus and if your like me keep the "i didn't work out today" guilt away. And def. eat healthy snacks! Berries, Grapes, Apple slices, Almonds, Celery, Red Bell Pepper are my favorites (be wary of too many almonds though... low-carb, but a good amt. of fat and def. calorie dense. Good fat, but nonetheless. Too much of even a good fat isn't a good thing). Some work-out suggestions- go for a run. Put on your fave music, get lost in it, and escape schoolwork for a little bit. I love to do it during the early mornings and late afternoons. Also, if you have to, try adjusting your day a bit. Get up earlier and get to the gym when it opens or shortly thereafter. My gym opens @ 6am and I was there by 6:30am, but home and done early and ready to get on with the rest of my day. And if you just really can't make the gym one day- don't sweat it. Finals aren't forever and you'll get back asap! You can do this girl! Good luck on your finals! :) I have 3- 3 days in a row. Whew...
  • persian_dancer
    persian_dancer Posts: 110
    I'm totally slipping on my eating, not really the exercising. I love to exercise so that's not so bad. I'm doing really bad with my eating. I eat on campus so I get to see the baked mac and cheese and the chicken caesar salad wraps all day and the mayo infested pasta salads. Blah! I'm trying to eat them only in moderation, but I have been going over a lot lately. :frown:
  • treeves0721
    treeves0721 Posts: 14
    i had the same problem during mid terms...half way through i decided ONE hour of working out definitely won't dig into my study time...AND it makes you feel a lot better and can help you study. keep lotttts of fruits handy..its a quick snack! good luck to everyone..its tough but we can do it!
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    Last semester I took THE hardest course of my career. It was an anatomy/physiology course, and his exams/quizzes were all diagrams that WE drew. No labeling. He would ask 'You are exiting an ice cream shop and have just finished a delicious ice cream cone. You see a masked robber and he accosts you, swinging a knife at you. Diagram the physiological changes that occurred from eating the ice cream cone to sighting this thief." So I'd look at that and go...smell, taste, digestion, vision, stress response, blood pressure, renal system, angiotensin II. And I'd diagram all of those cascades.

    I drew a TON of cascades. But what really helped was reviewing them in my head while I exercised helped so much. You don't have to totally 'tune out' when you're exercising. I find it challenging and helpful to review mentally while I'm a little oxygen deprived. :wink: That said, I've never liked to read homework while exercising because I can't read and run on the stairmill. :laugh: But maybe doing some biking for extra movement wouldn't be bad.
  • loren
    loren Posts: 111
    I've been slipping too zara. I have still been staying under my calories but I haven't worked out since Monday! I have noticed my energy has dropped so much since I haven't worked out so I am definitely going to try to get back on that today!
  • Zara11
    Zara11 Posts: 1,247 Member
    reading on the bike is helpful, but this semester it's all writing and groupwork - which is SO time-draning.

    Can't wait till summer and freeeeeeeeeeeeeedom! :laugh:
  • akamaki
    akamaki Posts: 33 Member
    I understand your pain. Yesterday was the first day I didn't make it into the gym since I started. :sad:

    Fortunately most of my classes this year are either easy for me or 100 level courses cause I'm missing credits due to my transfer. It looks like most of the professors are saving the easiest stuff for last. :laugh:

    Still got 3 more quizzes, 3 more tests, 1 presentation in Japanese, and 1 essay to write before finals.
    I dont think I'll have too much trouble getting into the gym, but if I pull any late nighters, healthy breakfast and lunch might be hard to come by the next day. The bus is very unforgiving and I've been known to oversleep. (Sucks to live off campus sometimes.) And the food at school has very few healthy options...

    Well... Good luck on getting through Finals, everyone!
  • loren
    loren Posts: 111
    Yeah I'm accounting major so I can't do anything at the gym. It's all sitting and writing.
  • réalta
    réalta Posts: 895 Member
    i have slipped on the exercise the past 3 weeks because of exams/assignments, but i have kept my calories under control and am still losing about a pound a week, try to keep the food under control and you can get back to the exercise asap :flowerforyou:
  • Zara11
    Zara11 Posts: 1,247 Member
    I'm going to the gym tomorrow. I will try to go Sunday. I will go on Tuesday, and at least a half hour on Thursday. I shall eat within my calories for a short termed goal of May 3ed. By then I shall also be in the 140s.

    And it's going to be AWESOME.

    Give me YOUR goals for the next week, besides surviving this last leg!
  • cryt11
    cryt11 Posts: 51 Member
    I feel your pain!! Finals are next week for me as well. Good Luck:tongue::noway:
  • Schaff
    Schaff Posts: 83
    I feel ya KKLuvUSC! I actually find finals time to be less stressful than normal school! I like being able to structure my days the way I want. I also find that I probably work out more during this time because I have no set schedule. For those of you struggling out there with exams and stress, remember it will be over soon! I recommend getting that workout in early, I usually run for an hour at 7 am and then I'm done. I find it gives me more energy to sit and study for longer periods of time. Another tip I find helpful is to think about exam time and eating like I am training for something like a marathon, since it kind of feels like that! Make sure you are eating foods that fuel your body AND your mind. I snack on a lot of nuts, fruits, veggies. I like to take a bunch of snacks with me to wherever I am studying. I always try to make sure there is a little bit of protein in everything I eat, it keeps you going longer. Try eating for endurance, and thinking about it that way can help to! Good luck to everyone, summer here we come!
  • cryt11
    cryt11 Posts: 51 Member
    Ok so I havent exercised since Wednesday! So aggrivated! My final is thursday and last day of clinical on Friday, I cant wait:explode: :explode: :explode: :explode:
  • Schaff
    Schaff Posts: 83
    Lucky! I'm jealous that you're almost done! You'll get back to gym as soon as you're done Friday. I start my exams Thursday and I go until next Saturday. Someone shoot me!
  • tig3rang3l
    tig3rang3l Posts: 270 Member
    *does a happy dance*

    I finished on Friday night, after a month of exams. I now have two weeks off before summer school to correct my diet.

    Good luck Zara, and everyone else working through finals!!! You'll get through it and back on top of things in no time.
  • Zara11
    Zara11 Posts: 1,247 Member
    my last day is @#$%ing like May 23-ish or so. I hate getting out so late.
  • cjm0014
    cjm0014 Posts: 118
    ah yes. feel your frustration and stress! i need to be studying right NOW but am on mfp instead. i love that we have a college group of us on here though, its comforting :happy: good luck everybody!
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    I start next week! :happy: This weekend I got a cold that knocked me on my *kitten*! I couldn't even walk to the bathroom Saturday, and I slept for close to 16 HOURS :noway: I didn't even have much congestion, just a really bad sore throat and incredible fatigue. I worked out early Sat morning before it hit me, then Sunday I felt almost better and went and played putt-putt. I even managed to clean my apartment and do a big powerpoint on hantavirus. Now all I have left is a quiz this week!! :bigsmile: One of my exams is take-home (epidemiology) and I have a cumulative chemistry exam and an easy nutrition exam, plus I have to present the ppt (but that's no big deal). I had a pretty good strength day today so I'm feeling about 90% better. I am eating maintenance for now so I can get better quick. Feels good. :smile:
  • Zara11
    Zara11 Posts: 1,247 Member
    It's may! :love: two more weeks and classes are over! :happy: :happy: :happy:
  • Zara11
    Zara11 Posts: 1,247 Member
    Everyone still alive?

    I switched to maintaining, but decided that was bullpoop, so I'm on 1 pound. SOOOO much easier than 2 pounds! I love it!

    thus, only a month off of schedule, i reached 149 - my halfway point and goodbye 150s!

    I'll swap back to 2 pounds starting end of may/beginning of june when i'm all moved out and life has a schedule again.
  • Papaya81
    Papaya81 Posts: 90 Member
    First post...wow
    Zara, totally can sympathize with you. I finished up about two weeks ago and it was awful. Now i am interning and I haven't even had a week before i went from finals to work, but i am finally getting myself situated....

    Finals week are the only time frame where i really just don't eat and its not because of any "study drugs" i just distract myself with studying and being in the library.

    You have done soooo well losing 24 lbs....whats the secret. Its nice to have few college students on here because obviously we are at the same phases at our life....any inspiring thoughts or tips?
  • Zara11
    Zara11 Posts: 1,247 Member
    First post...wow
    Zara, totally can sympathize with you. I finished up about two weeks ago and it was awful. Now i am interning and I haven't even had a week before i went from finals to work, but i am finally getting myself situated....

    Finals week are the only time frame where i really just don't eat and its not because of any "study drugs" i just distract myself with studying and being in the library.

    You have done soooo well losing 24 lbs....whats the secret. Its nice to have few college students on here because obviously we are at the same phases at our life....any inspiring thoughts or tips?

    Er - that's the funny thing. I have no secret. I see people who have lost 40, 50, 60 pounds, and I want to know THEIR secret.

    But tips - some off the top of my head: 1. tell everyone around you, people can be very supportive. 2. LOG IN YOUR FOOD. For example: I just licked off icing off of a cupcake, but because no one saw me, I wasn't going to log it. Wronggg. I'll log it, now :laugh: 3. Take walks, take the stairs, etc. exercise does an amazing job. 4. If you're really hungry, EAT. Healthily, though. It's not about starvation. 5. Mess up? Start again. If I'd kept on track, I would have been around 34 pounds down. Buttttt I'll get there eventually. 6. BLOG. It feels great. I can be as self-centered as I want, and it feels great to get it out. 7. Treat yourself to non-food gifts! 8. waterwaterveggiesfruitwaterwaterportioncontrol. 9. When eating out, split a dish, get half to go, or order an appetizer versus and entre. 10. pre-log your meals.

    Oh, god, there are tons. Everyone - if you're reading this, add at least 5 tips of your own, no matter how random!
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