15 Study Breaks You’ll Need To Take When Studying For Winter Finals Becomes Too Much

Finals are coming up faster than we think! Cramming last minute isn’t always ideal, and studying for multiple hours in your campus’s library isn’t as glamorous as Pinterest makes it look. Here are some of our tips on what kind of study breaks to take when you need to step away from the notecards.

1. Listen To Some Calming Music

Listening to music is a great way to destress. If you’re someone who listens to music while you study, put on something you don’t normally listen to, sit back, and relax for a few songs. If you don’t normally listen to music while studying, put on some calming music to chill out to. Just use the study break to really put yourself back in the zone with your tunes.

2. Paint A Little

If you’re studying away in your dorm room, or have had it with the library or coffee shop you’re in, then find your way to the nearest arts and craft store! Target always has cheap, small bottles of paint and affordable canvas. Painting can always calm you down and it’s also a productive use of your break time! Even if you aren’t an artist, take this time to make something! You will step away feeling as though no time was wasted, plus you have a new piece of decor!

3. Get A Snack!

Be careful with this one! Snacking in between study breaks is a great use of time, as the body needs food to focus, but snacking on the wrong types of food will leave you feeling miserable when you return to your books. Instead of grabbing chips and cookies, try snacking on some almonds, carrots, or pretzels. Eating a healthy, yet filling snack is a good way to keep your energy up while keeping on the study grind.

4. Switch Locations

Use your study break to change your scenery! If you’re holed up in your dorm room, walk to a coffee shop or the library. If you’re in the library, head back to your dorm. If the scenery gets boring, studying gets boring, so keep yourself energized by moving the study session elsewhere.

5. Hit Up Your Local Coffee Shop

If you find yourself needing to pause because you’re itching to do something, try getting something to drink from your nearest Starbucks or Dunkin! The lines are always super long during finals, since everyone is fueling up for their own studying. Waiting in line is worth it, and when you return from your study break with your favorite drink in hand, you’ll want the grind to continue.

6. Go For A Walk

This is something so simple yet so neglected! Even just going for a walk is a great use of time during your study break. Take a stroll around campus, walk to your friend’s dorm, or use this as a 2-in-1 and get coffee! Your legs will thank you after a few hours of sitting in one position, and your body will feel refreshed when you return to the desk.

7. Take a Power Nap

This one can be tricky, so if you decide to nap during your study break, make sure you set an alarm! Studies show that power naps that range between 10-20 minutes are the most ideal! If you oversleep, you’ll be even more tired than when you first went to lay down. If you’re the type of person to not want to get up after you lay down, make sure you’re at a good stopping point in your studies and that you’ve accomplished all you needed to for the day.

8. Invite Some Friends Over To Study With You

Studying with friends can be unproductive at times, but every study break is a party! Plus, if you guys hold each other accountable for what each person needs to get done, it’ll go by in a flash. After everyone finishes, then you’re all available to hang out together! It’s a win-win!

9. Call Your Parents!

This is something that college kids forget about a lot. Your parents miss you, and would love it if you called them every once in a while, so why not call them up during your study break? You can update them on how it’s going and which finals you have coming up, plus it’ll probably make their day!

10. Do Some Exercises & Stretches

Sitting still for hours on end is not something our bodies enjoy doing, especially if you don’t study with proper posture (who does?). Make your study break useful and hit the gym! You don’t physically need to go to the gym, but do a quick at home work out, or even just some stretches! Your body will thank you in more ways than one, plus you won’t be sore later on from hunching over your desk.

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11. Take a Quick Shower

Power shower is the way to go. Sometimes you just need to feel clean to get things done, and we respect that. Showering your negative thoughts away when it comes to finals is a good thing to do during your study break. You don’t even need to full on shower! Sometimes a nice rinse in some scalding hot water is enough to put us back on our feet.

12. Make A List Of Everything You Need To Get Done

This is definitely something that should’ve been done before you started studying, but if it’s not finished, make a list of what you need to do! You can even make a list of all the study breaks you want to take, like what we did! Being organized about studying will let you know when your breaks are and will allow you to finish studying faster than if you just tried to remember everything.

13. Clean Up The Area Around You

If your table is starting to have some garbage pile up from not moving in over 4 hours, take a moment to clean up the area around you! Having a clean and organized workspace is a great push to keep studying, and you will have utilized your study break with something very productive!

14. Light Some Candles

If you’re in a dorm, we won’t tell! Light some candles to get a nice scent flowing through the air. Creating a comfortable environment for yourself will make the studying seem like something that needs to get done so you can relax sooner. Plus your room will smell very nice for a few hours.

15. Take A Trip To A Pet Shelter

This is my favorite thing to do ever. Grab some friends and find your local animal shelter. Most places will let you come and play with the animals, even if you aren’t looking! All of those kitties and puppies need some human interaction, and what better way to spend your study break than by cuddling with some furry friends!