By Tris Lashea ‘22
Exam week can be a stressful and exhausting time in a student’s life, so it’s important to practice self-care, take breaks, go to events and classes on campus. Here are tips from a fellow student to make your exam week better.
Time Management
Create a to-do list of everything you have to do can help your brain feel less restless and more manageable.
Planning ahead and figuring out how much time you’re going to spend on something can be highly effective to help use your time wisely.
Work on the hardest or longest assignments first; think about how much better you’ll feel knowing you’ve gotten the most challenging stuff taken care of!
Self Care
Eat healthy and eat before exams. Your body needs food to work properly and eating healthier will make your body and brain feel better.
Sleep. As tempting as it is to pull all-nighter to get the work you need to done or study for exams, you have a better chance of performing better and making more sense on those final essays if your brain gets some rest.
Hydrate. Coffee is good for caffeine, but it’s important to drink lots of water to help with headaches and keep you feeling refreshed.
Use your resources
Go to the Writing Center. Make an appointment with the Writing Center to help with writing those final papers. They can help with finding a topic, creating an outline, editing or any other writing help you could look for. Go to the Writing Center’s website to make an appointment and find hours.
Research Services Desk in Library. Need help with how to find sources for your topic for a project or paper? The circulation desk can help you find the best sources to look at or figure out what sources work for your topic.
Math Lab. If you need help with math questions or with a statistics study guide, the tutors at the Math Lab can help with any questions or topics you are stuck on. Go to the Math Department’s website to look at services provided and hours.
Study Groups. Create a study group with people in your class to help take some workload pressure off, or get help with making quizlets or creating a study guide.
Professors. Your professors, whether you believe it or not, want to see you succeed! So communicate and go to their office hours to help with any concerns or help you need. They are there to help you, not fail you.
Places to Study
On-Campus:
Ramsey Library has many places to sit, study resources and is the best spot for some quiet time. It’s a great place to work if you need to really focus on not that many distractions.
Highsmith Student Union has late hours with a coffee shop. This is the place to go if you want to talk with your study buddies or get some food to fuel those study sessions.
Argo. A good place to study while getting coffee or a tasty pastry, and is also connected to the Greenhouse which is a great place to study away from bland rooms.
Off-Campus:
Double D’s Coffee and Desserts. Studying in this coffee shop with a variety of drinks can be really fun. Who doesn’t want to do homework on a double-decker bus?
High Five Coffee. A convenient and close location, not even ten minutes away from campus, with lots of light and delicious coffee.
Trade and Lore. A cute coffee shop with twinkly lights that has tasty coffee and is in the heart of downtown. (Also owned by a UNC Asheville alumna, who must have passed all her exams!)
Dobra Tea. A bohemian tea shop with a variety of cushiony private booths and seating with a huge selection of teas.
Events on Campus
Enjoy some hot chocolate and pastries to celebrate the last day of class on Tuesday, Dec. 3 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the To Ki Ya Sdi Room (Highsmith 238) with the Native American Student Association.
Go watch the ACE and Governor Halls R.A.s talent show, UNCA’S Got Talent, to eat food and win prizes. The first-place winner will receive their own Student Spotlight in January. The talent show is at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 3.
Have a Late Night Exam Breakfast served by UNC Asheville faculty and staff with a variety of yummy foods with karaoke which goes from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 5, at Brown Hall.
Take a break from studying and stressing to go to root for the Bulldogs at the Women’s Basketball Game versus South Carolina State at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 8 in Kimmel Arena.
Listen to the Reuter Center Singers, the community choir of OLLI, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, sing their annual holiday concert at 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 9, at UNC Asheville’s Reuter Center, Manheimer Room.
Recreation Classes
Blow off steam with an hour-long kickboxing class at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 3 in Sherrill Center, room 306B. Open to anyone, no previous experience needed. Take out some frustration with some cardio, kickboxing, martial arts, and body sculpting all in one.
Enjoy a relaxing hour of meditation and yoga in chill yoga at 9 p.m. on Dec. 3 in Sherrill Center, room 468. This class focuses on empowering the body, mind, and soul, while relaxing and restoration. No previous experience need.
Leaving for Winter Break
Try not to stress about packing to getting your stuff ready for winter break until after your exams. Always remember that your R.A.s are there to help you. So don’t be afraid to talk to them about any concerns or questions.
Most importantly…
Remember that exams and finals do not define your life. They are important and you should, of course, try the best you can; but your well-being is the most important. It’s not the end of the world if you don’t get a good grade. Move on and learn from it. Stay positive while studying, before and after an exam. Be the best you, you can be.
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