Cramming for Exams - Get Rid of Stress!

A lot of my friends here in Breda are getting ready for exams this block. Me on the other hand, has no exams at all. My biggest worries in life right now is if I will get a coffee in the morning, or if I have to spend a day watching Netflix. I guess you can say that I am lucky…but a part of me feels bad for my friends that are constantly stressing!

I have been in that situation, don’t get me wrong. Cramming for exams in one week while trying to balance your social life, it can be rough. But sometimes I feel for my friends who are trying to get all these assignments turned in last minute, while trying to prepare for their exams. I have been there for them, and have helped them along the way.

It is actually kind of funny because I am the only American here, and so all my friends in the building come to me to look over their english and make sure that their grammar is correct. I guess it was actually worth something to pay attention in English class all those years.

So as my friends are coming to me to look over their assignments, I understand the stress! I try doing things with them to try and relieve the stress. So, if you are in one of these situations, I have come up with a list of options that you can do to try and relieve some of that stress of preparing for exams.

Take a break. Sometimes you can be so caught up in trying to get things done, that you forget to give yourself a break! Some good ways of taking breaks can include:

Tulips in Breda, NL

• Go for a walk. It’s starting to turn into Spring, so get out and enjoy the glorious weather!

• Go to lunch with friends. I have a favorite place here in Breda, Bagels and Beans. I come here all the time that the baristas know me! But I like to take my friends here because they also enjoy it. Sipping a hot cappuccino with a pastry can make you feel just a bit better.

• Window shop. Now you don’t have to buy anything, but I know that taking my friends on a walk around the block and walking in a few stores can take your mind away from all that paperwork. 

• Take time to make dinner with your friends. I actually do this a lot with my friend Heidi. There will be times where she is so busy with work, and I will say, “hey lets make dinner”. After two hours of hanging out and laughing, she feels better about getting the work done!

• Don’t wait until last minute. Procrastination is everyone’s best friend around exam time, but it’s one thing you must avoid! There have been countless times I have waited until the last minute to finish an assignment or study for an exam. It sucks! So avoid procrastination by starting on things early.

Now I know some of these may be cliche for stress relievers, but I honestly think that dealing with stress while your abroad is different than when you are back at home. When you are abroad, your mind constantly wonders and you start feeling different emotions. For instance, when I first got here, I was so stressed because I wanted to leave. Now that the stress is gone and I have found how to keep myself busy and be happy, I no longer worry.

I know for my friend Lotta, she is always stressed about the fieldwork she has to do, and all the assignments that follow. The fact that she is in another country stresses her out as well. She doesn’t want to be here and isn’t enjoying her time because she is so stressed! If you are suffering from more than just stress from exams, try these tips.

My friends and I taking a road trip to Eindhoven, NL

• Take a trip. Sometimes when you leave your comfort zone and go explore somewhere new, you get so excited to go that it gives you that drive to finish your work, or get as much done as possible, and finish it later. They don’t have to be big, expensive trips either. A day trip to Amsterdam or Antwerpen can sometimes do the trick. 

• Go see a movie. Where I live, the theatre is right down the street, like a 15 minute walk. If you don’t want to be all cooped up in your room watching Netflix on your computer as your school work is viciously staring at you, grab a friend or two and see a movie! 

• Plan a night out. I know that the Dutch love to go out and party and have fun, so there are always busy bars and clubs in City Centre. Plan a night out with your girlfriends! Just going out for a drink or two, get all dressed up, and ready to have fun can make everyone happy!

  

  My first time on a bike here in the Netherlands

• Do something different. When I came to the Netherlands, I was pretty skeptical on some things that they did. It was different, and I didn’t like different. Now, when my friends are stressing out or having a bad day, I will say something like, “want to go try the food from the wall?” or “let’s go to that museum down the street”. Doing something different gives you that adrenaline rush that you need to get your mind off that dreaded schoolwork. 

• Sometimes it’s the little things that matter. Being the person in the middle of everyone else who is stressed from school, I try and cheer them up any way I can. And sometimes it’s the little things that make all the difference. My friends Heidi and Lotta are from Finland, so sometimes I go and talk with them, and then start speaking Finnish with them! They find it hilarious, and laughter is the best medicine. 

I don’t want to sound like some commercial, but if you or a friend is suffering from stress of school, being abroad, or both, help them! Ever since I came to the Netherlands, I have looked at life a completely different way. Instead of being grouchy and negative a majority of the time, I have been positive and cheerful, ready to make each day great. 

Say good-bye to stress, and say hello to happiness!