Tests. Hearing that word makes me sharply inhale and instantly gives me a headache. Asking five different students what their one most stressful thing at the moment was, the same answer emerged victorious. Tests, quizzes, exams or whatever your professor decides to call it, stress still remains the constant. But, whether we like it or not, these assessments are a part of every class.

Majoring in medical diagnostics, I find that my hardest classes are sciences, specifically Biology and Chemistry. My five interviewees all agreed with my statement and I’m sure many more would as well. Being in a difficult class is mentally draining. When asked to describe their mentality after their biology and chemistry classes, it showed just how much of a toll these classes took on their mental health. One of the students said she felt “kinda defeated because Biology is hard and it really brings down my self esteem and my encouragement towards academics.” This coincided with another student’s response whose answer was “I would say I’m mentally drained right now. I feel like just being in lecture kind of brings down my confidence,” Despite feeling discouraged, they remained optimistic as the latter had further stated, “But, I’ll be able to get it back up after studying and reviewing.” After learning of these mentally draining sources, the next question becomes, what do some students do in order to relax and deal with their accumulated stress?

As a fellow student, I cannot emphasize how much I agree with one student who said, “Relaxation is my favorite part of the day!” After a long day of classes, or like me who is burned out after a three hour and thirty minute lecture, sometimes you just want to do absolutely nothing while sitting in a comfy chair, maybe listening to your favorite music. It is essential that after dealing with stress, students take time to take care of themselves because while physical symptoms may not be present, it does not mean we are mentally prepared for the many challenges that are hurled our way as the semester progresses. When asked to further elaborate, the same student said that one of her favorite things to do was journaling, stating that, “It’s been incredible. Just reflecting on the day and things that make me happy.” Other students find relief through making things, as another student replied that, “Another thing I like to do is make stuff. So crocheting, sowing, painting, randomly making things.” I found that the students who had more recently performed the activities that made them happy had a more energetic and lively attitude. However, it seems that time was still the most difficult opponent.