Exam week woes

Skylar Eble sits alone in a corner of the Tiger Den at a table littered with books, notes and pens. She's studying for finals. But she's not worried.

Eble, a sophomore majoring in social work, is a reformed procrastinator who said she's learned from her previous mistakes.

"I realized how important it is to keep your grades up and buckle down," Eble said. "I want to get better grades than last year, not that they were bad."

Managing her time better, she said she is not stressed about her tests at all.

But Eble's confidence is a rare find on The University of Memphis campus. It's the beginning of finals week, which means at any given moment, students can be found bent over books or blankly staring at computer screens, furiously typing away.

"I'm stressed because I'm waiting until the last minute to study, and all of my tests are jammed together," said Lakesha Bello, a sophomore accounting major. "I have two big exams for accounting this week and two in English and econ next week."

Bello doesn't blame anyone but herself for the stress. The pressure, she said, helps her do better on the tests.

"If I study two weeks before, I'm going to forget it," she said. "I have to do it a couple of days before. I think I do better because I study harder than I would."

Bill Dwyer, an introduction to psychology professor who has taught over 34,000 students in 40 years, said he has seen it all. Dwyer said he attributes students' stress levels to a lack of organization

"Why do you suppose employers want to know your grade point average?" Dwyer said. "College involves around 40 classes, which is essentially 40 bosses that tell them what to do to get a good grade. If they do what they tell them, they get a good grade, and that's what employers want. If someone has a 2.1 (G.P.A.) that tells employers they don't do what they are told. If they have a 3.8, then they know that person will listen to instruction. It's also the same when a student says they liked one class better than the other, and that's why the grade was better. That's the same thing as saying you like your boss but not your supervisor."

Dwyer stressed the importance of using time wisely throughout the semester, instead of partying or socializing.

"They are always told to prepare and read throughout the semester - the ones who don't do it try to save themselves by cram, cram, cram," he said. "I teach a class of 400 students. The smart ones sit in front rows, study in groups and do what they are told. They are not stressed during exam week."

Stress is the body's reaction to stressors, which something pose a threat to the well-being, Dwyer explained. The pressure students feel around the end of the semester doesn't last long, which is why Dwyer said stress isn't harmful.

"Unless a student is under stress for a long time, it doesn't really do anything to them," he said. "It's a job you hate, year in year out or a bad marriage for 20 year. To be stressed for a week or two, it doesn't do anything. You have to be under it for an extended period of time. You can still try to cram and get a good grade. What they need to do is what the teacher says. That's what life is all about."

The American Institute of Stress lists 50 common signs and symptoms of stress including: frequent headaches; insomnia; stuttering or stammering; trouble learning new information; forgetfulness; neck ache, back pain, muscle spasms; frequent crying spells or suicidal thoughts; increased number of minor accidents; obsessive or compulsive behavior; sudden attacks of panic; constant tiredness, weakness, fatigue; increased or decreased appetite; and excessive gambling or impulse buying.

According to a study-tip list on askstudent.com, the secret to finishing the semester on a good note is "knowing how to put the daunting tasks that lie ahead in the next few weeks into perspective."

The tip list includes avoiding procrastinating by doing the assignments, projects or papers that require the most attention, sorting each by deadline, length, subject matter, grading scale and overall importance.

Another important factor is to eliminate all distractions, such as Facebook, instant messaging, solitaire or other guilty pleasure Web sites, such as Perezhilton.com that zap away time that could be better spent working.

Experts also suggest taking breaks during intense studying sessions. Failing to take the time to rest or exercise could lead to a trip to the Student Health Center.

"Its harder on your body," said Jacqueline DeFouw, a U of M health educator. "Your immune system drops so you don't have necessary components to fight off disease and illness."

DeFouw said they have been "pretty busy" all semester at the Student Health Center, treating upper respiratory problems like bronchitis, laryngitis and sore throats.

"Most are related to a lower immune system, which is a direct result of stress with studying. People aren't getting enough sleep or eating right," DeFouw said.

There are many ways to deal with these higher levels of stress. The American Institute of Stress points to aerobic exercise, prayer, listening to music, hobbies, laughter or playing with pets as a good way to deal with excess pressure.

The Institute also warns against the use of alcohol or drugs, which can lower your immune system or turn into their own stressors.

Other than getting plenty of sleep, exercise and proper nutrition, DeFouw said the best way to prevent stress levels from getting high is to start preparing for finals earlier in the semester.

"Get things out of the way," DeFouw said. "Pile ups will end up causing higher stress. We always have students that come in and think they are ill, but when we look into things, we find it's the stress level. "

One thing DeFouw warns against is the use of highly-caffeinated beverages, which can cause blood pressure to rise and heart-rate to skyrocket, which can make students "nervous or twitchy and make it more difficult to study."

"People try to drink these to stay awake longer, but you need sleep," she said. "You can study all night long, but then you can't think when you walk in the room."