Freaked out freshman, seniors suffering from senioritis, the last semester is in some ways harder than the first. With finals and new classes all that stress can be a lot to manage. Here are some important reasons to destress. According to a study done by researchers at Northwestern and Texas A&M University, having more stress right before a big test correlates to lower performance on the test. Testing anxiety is associated with procrastination, headaches, panic attacks and feelings of helplessness.

The start of a new semester is basically another first day of school, and for freshmen who are still acclimating to life at high school, it can be overwhelming.

“I think one of the best ways to stay stress free is to share what you are going through with friends and family. I also think everyone would benefit from having service dogs on campus that we can visit between classes,” said senior Sofia Prober.

As for preparing for tests, one of the best things you can do for yourself is sleep! While it can be tempting to pull a late night cram session, staying up all night is proven to worsen your nerves. Having a positive attitude will also help your anxiety. According to the Princeton Review, if you tell yourself you can do it you will be more likely to do well. Finally, rather than putting studying off until the night before, study little by little over more time. Take practice tests and quizzes throughout these final weeks. With all that in mind, it is okay if you are still a little stressed. In some cases a little stress can be a great motivator, just don’t make it a habit! Wishing you all a happy finals season!