WEB EXCLUSIVE

With finals only a few weeks away, the Bring Change 2 Mind club brainstormed stress-reducing activities and ideas today during lunch to implement during finals week.

“Students cannot effectively communicate what they know if they are stressed,” Annie Egan, club monitor and K-12 Director of Student Support said. “So the more calm that we can provide during a potentially stressful time the better.”

Finals can cause heightened levels of cortisone and highly activated amygdala, which is gray matter inside the brain involved in experiencing emotions and thoughtful and clear articulation of knowledge, according to Egan. Stress-reducing activities help to relax and refocus students.  

“Over time you build up a lot of extra stress and it puts a real big toll on your mental and physical health,” sophomore and club member Gabi Guido said. “Just getting chances to take some time to relax instead of being under constant pressure is important.”

Activity ideas for finals week included a petting zoo, hot chocolate or tea stations and giving other students notes of encouragement.

“Students will engage in relaxing activities that will hopefully make them less anxious about finals,” junior Annabelle Applegarth said.

The BC2M club uses the app Headspace for meditation each club meeting, which students can also use during finals week to relax.

“Meditation is a proven asset for one’s health.” Egan said. “So it only makes sense to start our meetings with it.”  

Finals week will start on Dec. 17 and end Dec. 20.