The holiday season is right around the corner. And while this may bring a smile to your face it may also cause an unbidden shudder to go down your spine as you realize this also means finals are almost here. And while finals will inevitably mean hours of studying it doesn’t all have to be bad. Here are some fun (and free) study break ideas to help get you through it.
1.) Take a walk– Grab a friend or two and head outside. You can either walk around campus or head to a local park. Not only will this get you away from your books, but it will also be a time for you to de-stress by getting to talk with friends and catch up with each other. Also, the fresh air and oxygen with refresh your brain and help you remember more material when you return to studying with fresh eyes.
2.) Cook something new– See what ingredients you have lying around your dorm or apartment and make something with it. There are tons of great websites where you can enter in the ingredients you have and it will give you a recipe. Or, if you are feeling more adventurous see what you can come up with on your own. Another benefit to this is that you will feel like you’re being productive while taking a break. Also, you’ll make yourself a meal to nourish yourself after those long hours of studying and give yourself that extra kick to study more.
3.) Watch a new TV show– Heard about a great show but never seen it? Now is the perfect time to get hooked on one. You may think that this is counterproductive since you’ll probably want to watch it non-stop but if you are disciplined this will help you to study more. Instead of watching it marathon-style, watch an episode and then tell yourself you can’t watch another one until you reach a certain point, or until you’ve memorized a list of terms. If you don’t give in to the temptation you’ll study twice as hard and feel more motivated.
4.) Exercise– There are so many different ways you can exercise and they will all help your tired and worn out mind after studying. You could keep it simple and do some stretching and meditation in your dorm or common room. If you have a gym on campus you can head over and do a 30 minute circuit of cardio that will get your blood flowing and your body feeling rejuvenated and ready to hit the books again.
5.) Work on a hobby– This can be pretty much anything that takes your mind off of what you’re studying and allows you to focus on something else. Some ideas might be knitting, playing an instrument, reading, doing crafts, and much more. Find something that interests you and work on it for a while. It will help you relax and take a step away from studying and finals.
6.) Check out an event on campus – There is always something happening on a college campus. Whether it’s a free lecture, a show, a new exercise class or even an info session with some free food, there’s something interesting and free to take your mind off the books for a second. Go learn more about a volunteer organization on campus and how you can get involved or support a friend’s a cappella group, learning about others’ passions could be just the rejuvenating brain break you need.
