stress relief

[sunnex3]

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i'm sure that many of you can relate to this: stress and anxiety around exam time.

i find that when it gets to exam time i get extremely anxious and very panicky. it kind of becomes an obsession for me to study as much as i can for a test, losing sleep and all. it's mentally draining, and even more, physically draining for me.

i'm just looking for a way to relieve my stress/anxiety/tension - what kind of things do you guys do to feel less nervous?

i guess part of my problem is that i feel like grades are so important - and after seeing some students on this board with amazing grades AND amazing experience, it's kind of daunting to me when it comes to thinking about applying and actually getting in.

i'm already in my second semester of my sophomore year and i would really like to find a healthy way to worry about grades without going crazy! i still have 2 years left! 😱

 

[justinpaws]

You're only in sophomore year!!! I got such crud grades in my lower divs because I didn't know what I wanted to do (I secretly just wanted to draw comics all day). But you have a motivating goal...just keep at it...

Playing with my cat eases tension...if I get him in a frisky mood, we have a lot of fun. He plays fetch with toys...runs to get them, then brings them back and drops them by my feet. Or I hide behind our furniture/walls and he tries to surprise me, but then I pop out and he tries to grab me. Or I chase him down the hallway and he hides behind the corner, then when I walk by he jumps out and pretends to scare me. I know it sounds like he hates me, but he's always trying to get me to play with him.

If you don't have pets...try just pausing for a few minutes, eating a snack, and watching something funny on YouTube or even a short episode of something. Or start reading a fun book that doesn't require any thinking and do a chapter in between your studies. It helps take your mind off things without putting you to sleep, which is always good for stress in times of heavy studying.

Technically I should be studying because I have a final tomorrow, but the material is just so boring, I can't do it anymore. Haha.

 

[DocDVMD]

Haha I'm very glad I didn't find this forum until AFTER all my apps were in and I was waiting for decisions. I can understand being stressed out a little, but that amount of anxiety is unhealthy. Get off this forum! Get some exercise, it's great for your health, relieves stress, promotes healthier sleeping, and increases your level of focus. Involve yourself with activities that make you happy and surround yourself with people who make you feel good (I recall your post about having a competitive roommate... not so good). Don't freak out so much, because you'll be a vet someday!

Before I began the application process, it seemed daunting to me as well. But you get through it, step by step, and it's not as impossible as it seems. For now, just relax, enjoy your college time, and be happy!

 

[ckd816]

I took a pilates class during my first semester of undergrad and I found it really helpful. I've also met many people who prefer yoga to relax, but I'm definitely more of a pilates girl. I think any form of exercise is a wonderful way to relieve tension. Also, I've really taken to nice long baths with girly bath fizzies or bubbles and the like.

I am often consumed with my nervous energy and feel like it might be nearly impossible for me to relax completely... My dad has suggested meditation, but I'm not sure if it's for me.

Also, I'm thinking that I'd like to take up a new activity that involves some sort of creative outlet... I've been dying to take up glassblowing for ages now! Does anyone find that activities like this are helpful in destressing or do you feel like your time is better spent studying?

 

[StayingHopeful]

Art really helps me destress, as does being outside even if it is just for a brief period. Both give me a sense of freedom from my work and remind me that the world is much bigger than that one assignment or test.
I actually tried glassblowing a few summers ago and loved it, but for time/money reasons, I haven't been able to do it while I'm in school. Maybe this summer...

 

[DocDVMD]

Another thing is if it's REALLY bad is to seriously consider getting medical help. See a therapist just to try it out, perhaps talking to somebody about it will help, or they can give you relaxation techniques. There are also medications available to decrease anxiety if the doctor deems it necessary.

 

[DVMorBust]

Exercise...

Seriously. The combined task of working towards something unrelated (learning a new inline-skate trick, working with the horses, training for a triathlon, beating that DDR song on 'heavy', whatever) combined with getting your blood pumping does wonders. It's not necessarily a 'OMG, I'm stressed now what do I do' fix (although taking even 15 minutes to walk around the block helps), but I definitely can tell the difference on days when I actually get up off my butt in the AM and do something versus when I don't.

 

[CatVet2Be]

Taking the dog for a run really helped out when I was feeling overly anxious, plus it helped me sleep better. Also, I love video games and they're great to get my mind off of things but I have to be careful about how long I let myself play them.

 

[ckd816]

Oh, I forgot about music! It can be very relaxing... Sometimes I like those nature sounds CDs or classical music. Anything slow and quiet, obviously! I have the local classical radio station as the first preset in my car for those really hectic days. 🙄

 

[bunnyslippers]

wine and country music.

 

[KittyRex]

I second exercise as a GREAT way to maintain sanity and blow off steam. I also have heard many people say "keep doing the things you love no matter how busy you get" and I absolutely believe in that. Balance is important for avoiding burnout (just think... getting through undergrad and then signing up for an additional 4 years of vet med school is a bit like running a marathon. you need to pace yourself!)

Regarding how I deal with stress... my friends joke that it's a good sign if I'm am stressed out (about an upcoming test or an interview etc) because my performance usually turns out to be directly proportional to the level of stress/nervousness I had about it beforehand . It's actually probably not the healthiest thing in the world, but I do function best under pressure.
I guess what I'm trying to say is: a little stress/nerves can be ok and maybe even beneficial as long as you channel it in the right way. But don't let it take over your life!

It's a little cheesy, but one thing I used to tell myself before each important exam is: "no matter what happens on this exam, it's NOT going to prevent me from acheiving my dreams" 😉

 

[willbeavet]

Stress relief? Working out, playing X-Box 360 (I am currently addicted to Fallout 3), and of course going out for a night of drinking.

Though I would leave the drinking for after the exam.

 

[LadyHitokiri]

I second exercise as a GREAT way to maintain sanity and blow off steam. I also have heard many people say "keep doing the things you love no matter how busy you get" and I absolutely believe in that. Balance is important for avoiding burnout (just think... getting through undergrad and then signing up for an additional 4 years of vet med school is a bit like running a marathon. you need to pace yourself!)

Regarding how I deal with stress... my friends joke that it's a good sign if I'm am stressed out (about an upcoming test or an interview etc) because my performance usually turns out to be directly proportional to the level of stress/nervousness I had about it beforehand . It's actually probably not the healthiest thing in the world, but I do function best under pressure.
I guess what I'm trying to say is: a little stress/nerves can be ok and maybe even beneficial as long as you channel it in the right way. But don't let it take over your life!

It's a little cheesy, but one thing I used to tell myself before each important exam is: "no matter what happens on this exam, it's NOT going to prevent me from acheiving my dreams" 😉

Agreed👍.

I couldn't have said it better. XD

A little stress is actually good (as I've learned from my Comparative Immunobiology class). It's prolonged stress that creates problems and that you want to avoid.

I KNOW that there will be times when I can't get all of the "fun" stuff done. I've already prepared myself to pick the top few activities I enjoy the most, and stick with them. I won't give up the other activities, but I'll just do them less frequently. Exercise...YES! After spending hours studying, your body needs it. It helps you either wake up, or sleep better at night, or concentrate when you actually do study. Exercise makes you feel good, at least it should!

My drug= In the Groove (a harder, better version of Dance Dance Revolution). I actually mentioned it in my interview as one of the things I do to de-stress outside of work/school. It is such a big part of my life....I'm pretty much a freak about it though, as in keeping track of my scores with a USB/online, wearing special shoes (Nike Free) when I play, and attending competitive tournaments.

So, stress relief = finding something you love to do, and DOING IT. Also, it is easy to stress out and try to relieve that by yourself. But one of the best ways is to also hang out with other people. Play a board game, do something you haven't done in a LONG time, but that you enjoy...it can be anything. Randomness and spontaneity help with stress a lot!

 

[sumstorm]

Exercise, in general, though I prefer exercise that gets me outside and hopefully closer to some form of nature. I also like Yoga and Pilates. Yoga, in particular, tends to force me to slow my body down to hold postures or do a controlled series of postures, and once I slow body/breathing down, the mind will start to slow down as well.

Get enough sleep and eat nutritious foods. Really can't over-emphasize that. Also try to balance your meals and include carbs, protein and healthy fats.

Remember the 80-20 rule. Approximatly 80% of your results will be from 20% of your efforts, which also leads to diminishing returns. At some point, you effect of additional study is a plateau...there just isn't more brain power available at that point in time to remember more stuff or connect more concepts. This is why pacing studying throughout the semester is far more effective than cram sessions.

Do something that makes you really laugh. Watch a favorite comedy movie/show, a video of silly kitties playing or puppies exploring the outdoors for the first time.

Limit your time around other people's drama and stress, and refuse to participate in energy sapping stress sessions. So when a class mate calls in a panic because they are certain some specific section will be on the test, thank them for the tip, then go back to your own study plan. Which also means have a study plan, one that you start out at the beginning of the semester. Also, have a calendar/planner so that you don't overbook/overburden yourself with other activities, leading to more stress.

The days before an exam is not the time to help a paniced buddy try to understand everything in class, or even a difficult concept of the class. Not suggesting that working with others to iron out the details is bad, just that the act of being around panicy people will increase your own physiological and mental stress.

Try to avoid personal drama in the days before an important exam. Obviously, not always possible, but the more you can limit it, the better.

Try to maintain a regular schedule going into exams.... get up at the same time and go to bed at the same time, and eat meals around the same time.

Keep a notebook by your bed just to jot down all the random junk that flies through your head at the end of the day that may prevent quality sleep.

 

[DreamComeTrue09]

i'm sure that many of you can relate to this: stress and anxiety around exam time.

i find that when it gets to exam time i get extremely anxious and very panicky. it kind of becomes an obsession for me to study as much as i can for a test, losing sleep and all. it's mentally draining, and even more, physically draining for me.

Wow, you just described exactly how I was during my final 2 yrs of undergrad. There were times when I would stay up all night studying, all the way up until the exam was placed into my hands!<~this was terrible, I was like a robot spitting back information word for word, and was unable to clearly think. I also found I made alot of stupid mistakes due to lack of sleep...like meaning to circle one answer on multiple choice, but instead circling two by mistake...I almost crashed my car a few times as well...that was when I stayed up for 3 days straight...

What I learned....cramming is BAD! Cramming stresses me out, and after the exam I immediately forget everything! I'm currently taking a few pre-reqs at a CC and have tried a new method...reviewing my notes every night and sometimes re-writing them. This has helped take ALOT of stress away the week before an exam.

I also have started walking every morning, which has given me a fresh start to the day and makes me more energetic. I tend to take alot of breaks in between studying just to keep my sanity! Whenever I get frustrated with a homework problem, I walk away, and either get some fresh air, do some laundry, have a snack, watch a short t.v. program etc, then I go back to the problem and tackle it head on.

The day before a big exam, I give myself at least one hour to play sports, go for a walk, listen to music, watch t.v. etc..then I'm ready to study 😀

 

[ImaJerseyGirl]

.

 

[oregonhopeful]

And eat good breakfast! Always! No pop tarts, wake up early and make yourself something nice. You are what you eat.

I wish I had the discipline to do that. I almost always end up either sleeping in or studying extra time if I do get up. I tend to forget about food a LOT. That's a habit I'll have to quit in vet school but I'm still not sure about the breakfast thing.

 

[sunnex3]

I wish I had the discipline to do that. I almost always end up either sleeping in or studying extra time if I do get up. I tend to forget about food a LOT. That's a habit I'll have to quit in vet school but I'm still not sure about the breakfast thing.

i do that a lot too! i forget about food all the time, especially breakfast.

thanks for all the tips you guys, i'll see if i can actually stick to any of them....i've got a molecular bio/genetics exam on tuesday 😱

 

[sumstorm]

I wish I had the discipline to do that. I almost always end up either sleeping in or studying extra time if I do get up. I tend to forget about food a LOT. That's a habit I'll have to quit in vet school but I'm still not sure about the breakfast thing.

Hubby has that problem. We solved it with breakfast sandwhiches.

So, we crack eggs into a muffin tin (1 per cup) add shredded cheese, a dash of salt and pepper, and anything else you like (bell pepper, crumbled sausage/bacon, hot sauce, horseradish, etc.) then cook for ~12 min at 275. Toast the muffins, wrap each cooked egg in muffin in papertowels and store, once cooled, in a plastic container. In the morning pop one out, toss in the micro, and eat in the car. This makes eggs with cooked yellows. you can scramble them by mixing them before and a few times during the baking process.

I have LOTS of healthy fast make ahead breakfast recipes to get hubby (diabetic) to eat right.

I also have a lot of prep/freeze meals...I much prefer to prep meals 1-2x/month.

 

[DVMorBust]

Hubby has that problem. We solved it with breakfast sandwhiches.

So, we crack eggs into a muffin tin (1 per cup) add shredded cheese, a dash of salt and pepper, and anything else you like (bell pepper, crumbled sausage/bacon, hot sauce, horseradish, etc.) then cook for ~12 min at 275. Toast the muffins, wrap each cooked egg in muffin in papertowels and store, once cooled, in a plastic container. In the morning pop one out, toss in the micro, and eat in the car. This makes eggs with cooked yellows. you can scramble them by mixing them before and a few times during the baking process.

I have LOTS of healthy fast make ahead breakfast recipes to get hubby (diabetic) to eat right.

I also have a lot of prep/freeze meals...I much prefer to prep meals 1-2x/month.

I'd love to hear more...my hugest issue with breakfast is that I can't eat right after waking up (seriously - it turns into a literal choking down of things for solid food) so I generally have a glass of juice to have at least something in me...but a bit after leaving the house I'm starving. I'd LOVE to have more good ideas for things to take on the road - I'm getting a little sick of bananas and bagels 🙂

Edit: also the prep/freeze meals...next year is going to be a big change, since the hubby is the cook in our family. I think I'm just going to make a new thread. Everyone likes talking about food, right? 😀

 

[twelvetigers]

I also CAN NOT EAT right as I wake up, be it 6am or 12pm. I used to, because my mom made me, but ever since a couple bad mornings in marching band, it makes me feel ill just thinking about it! I can sometimes do an apple, a piece of toast, a breakfast bar... but my usual preference is just hot tea, coffee, or pepsi. Food comes about 2 hours after I woke up.

I'm really bad about eating chips... Pringles or Lays for lunch... not so great. Heh.

My advice for the OP - study smart up until the day before the exam. On the day before, don't look at the stuff. Do other things and go to bed at a good time. On the day of, just skim what you know is important. If you can have everything in your head by the day before and then let it simmer for a day, your recall rate (in my experience) is usually much better.

If you can't follow this exactly, then at least don't cram all through the day before. It seems like that would over saturate you and wear you out!

 

[sunnex3]

this is going to sound so lame, but what makes it even MORE difficult to study is the fact that even if i study super hard super well, i still might not do well and even if i do well, there's no guarantee i'll be successful!

i know it's lame and not a rational concern...
but lately i've been getting very very worried about my future - maybe i shouldn't have found SDN so soon in my college career...

 

[DocDVMD]

maybe i shouldn't have found SDN so soon in my college career...

Agreed! 👍

 

[sunnex3]

i actually heard about SDN from one of my co-workers who applied this year...haha. of course i'm only a sophomore...and am already freaking out and pulling out my hair about my future - can you not tell i'm an uber perfectionist?

 

[sunnex3]

ps - DOCDVMD, is that a cavalier in your picture? because i have one too! 🙂

 

[DocDVMD]

Yes! 🙂
​

 

[sunnex3]

awww i do too! how old is yours? what's his name?
don't you just love cavs 🙂

 

[DocDVMD]

Yea, they're great. Mine's a little doofy though 😛 His name is Winston and he's 13! Yours?

Haha, slightly off topic. Although, playing with your dog does relieve stress.

 

[sunnex3]

my guy's name is twinkie and he's 6!
i love him to death, he's my first dog i've had him since i was 14 🙂
but since i'm at away at college, i don't get to see him nearly enough...so that causes me stress too!