Safe Finals, Don't Die: Lisa Hannigan and Self-Care in the Midst of Finals

It's that time of year again, dearest readers. Finals. DON'T PANIC. It's gonna be okay. But, because we are American college students working in a system that encourages us to abandon all thoughts of self care for academia, this post is a combination of feel good, relaxing music (specifically Lisa Hannigan's because her music is way chill, she's talented and she always relaxes me) paired with self-care tips during finals. I recommend everything she's ever done, but I chose a song to go with each tip just 'cause.The song recommendations are in green, a color that is shown to be relaxing.Each tip is bolded and underlined and  was selected because these are things that I've found helpful, so even though this post is way long, it's not (entirely) pointless. So take a big breath, hold it, then exhale through your nose. It's gonna be okay!

Step One: SLEEP. It is so tempting to stay up all night and just chug caffeine 'til finals are done (trust me, I think about doing this all the time). DO NOT DO THIS. Get at least 5 hours. Your body, your brain and your memory bank (which is ultimately the key to finals) will thank you and do better. There's lots of science that says you remember things better if you review them, go to sleep, wake up and review them again. Basically, you need sleep to do stuff, so go to bed!

"O Sleep" from her album Passenger is a super great song to use as a study break or sleep add. It's a soft duet about making up after a fight, featuring Ray Lamontagne. The lyrics paint lovely pictures of oceans, quiet rooms, dreams of sleep and reconciliation. If you're looking for a lullaby, this one knocks me out every time.

Step Two: Be Like a KitKat Bar. Take a break from your studying! Do something fun like read a chapter in a good book or, if you're sick of reading, knit a little, color in a coloring book, take a short walk, talk to a friend, etc. Get yourself away from screens, stand up and do some stretches. The key here is to relax so that you can be refreshed when you start studying again. Humans are not built to a) sit all day, b) do one task all day, and c) be inside all day. Go outside if you can; sunlight is shown to boost endorphin levels which can only be a good thing when you're way strung out and/or depressed about an upcoming exam, plus you need the Vitamin D.Your brain and body will thank you for the breaks, plus you'll zone out less and ultimately gain more. It's a win-win.

Lisa Hannigan's  "Paper House" (another song from Passenger) is my personal favorite walking and thinking song. It's gently upbeat and it makes I feel like I've just stepped out of a cool lake on a hot summer day when I listen to it. It's refreshing and will put you in a good mood to hit the books.

Step Three: Heed Veggie Monster's Advice. Before you roll your eyes and skip this step, I'm definitely not saying that you should eat only healthy things (because I would have a breakdown during finals week without access to candy) but even just eating a small plate of salad, an apple, or a handful of berries like twice a day will help your brain (and body) feel better. High protein snacks, like nuts, eggs, fish and tofu, are good choices too 'cause your brain is a big fan of the fatty oils and Vitamin E that you get from those.

Choosing a song that corresponded with this tip was pretty tricky, but I decided to go with "I Don't Know" from the album Sea Sew because I have no idea what healthy foods y'all will eat, I just hope you'll pick something. And also because the song is about getting to know friends and I care about all of you!

Step Four: Wear a Jewelry to Your Final. Sometimes brains have a tough time deciding on what is dangerous and what is not. Tests tend to trigger the part of your brain that recognizes threats, which will kick up your adrenaline, heart rate and blood pressure. When these things happen, your brain is  focused on getting you out of what it perceives to be a dangerous situation, and makes it harder for you to recall information. Wearing a ring, necklace or bracelet that's familiar to you can help.  Having a familiar object to touch and hold is soothing and can help you remind your brain that you are not in danger and that it's time to settle down (using an object as a reminder is called a grounding technique and is very effective for many people, including myself, so I encourage you to try it). Also, deep breathing (even just while you count to ten) is proven to lower blood pressure, heart rate and adrenaline levels, which will help a LOT in reminding your brain that you are very safe and going to completely ace the test!

"Venn Diagram" from Sea Sew was chosen for this one simply because it's a sweet song about looking after someone, feeling safe and the chorus reminds me of deep breathing.

Step Five: Be Like the Scientists Who Walked Into A Bar. Unconscious! Hahahaha, get it? Okay, but for real, caffeine, while delicious in many forms and good for cramming, dehydrates you so much. And, because your brain is the Scrooge McDuck of body resources, it needs the most water of every system of the body. This means that if you're dehydrated, the rest of your body is gonna get fatigued, ache, and just generally not be cooperative. Headaches, nausea, and the urge to take a nap are common symptoms of dehydration, all of which are hindrances to doing your best on tests and studying. SO, to counter all the delicious coffee and Dr. Pepper you down, drink lots of water. Your brain can then guzzle all it can hold and the rest of your body won't have to suffer for it and everybody feels good!

"An Ocean and A Rock" (from Sea Sew) was my choice for this tip because it's about water and remembering things. Isn't it obvi? It's chill, a sweet sentiment, beautiful text painting, and a good reminder to drink up!

All in all, remember that you are most important! You should be your number one priority, so please take care of yourself! If you get really overwhelmed, need a study break or a hand, remember that you've got friends all around you (including myself) who are more than willing to help you out (I'm always here if you need to talk, vent, study break, etc. and I'm good at editing papers too)! If you want more tips or chill songs, I've got a bunch!

I'll close with a link to the song I parodied in the title, "Safe Travels (Don't Die)" from Passenger, for obvious reasons. Take care, dear reader; I'd wish you luck on your exams, but I know you're going to do fabulously. :)

Happy Listening (and studying!),
Hanae