By: Martin Kemper ’21, staff writer

Excess stress can, in minor cases, cause headaches, upset stomach and an inability to focus; in serious cases, it can cause cardiovascular disease.

There is perhaps no more stressful time for a student than finals week. How a student can deal with stress is often as important as last-minute cramming and memorization.

“I try to run every morning,” Mackenzie Lausch, a fourth-year physical therapy student, said. “It definitely lowers my stress levels and gives me the energy to focus throughout the day.”

Getting exercise is a great and proven way to lower stress levels. However, time constraints can make it difficult to find the time.

“It’s hard to find time to go to the gym,” Adam Schisler, a senior business major, said. “There are so many things that I have to do, whether its studying or my job, I run out of time.”

Additionally, as hours of time spent studying increases, students usually report getting fewer hours of sleep. Less sleep can lead to poor memory, which can make last-minute cramming less effective.

“It’s hard to get enough sleep,” Connor Swank, a fourth-year physical therapy student, said. “It’s something that I have to work on.”

As finals week approaches, and swiftly passed, it is just as, if not even more important to remember to take care of oneself as it is to memorize those final details.