It’s about that time of year where students start freaking out a little. Yup, it’s finals season. It’s the time of year you never think about when you actually start the semester. “Oh, I’ll worry about it later, I’ve got pleeeenty of time.” Well, it’s here.
Instead of stressing out and trying to cram an entire semester’s worth of class into a few hours of studying, here’s some things you can do (food-related, of course) to de-stress and help you clear your mind.
#SpoonTip: Do everything in moderation and don’t overdo it. Doing these things will not guarantee an A on that astro-physics exam.
1. Treat yo’self
I’m quite guilty of this, especially during this time of year. With all the holiday deliciousness, pumpkin spice everything, cakes, pies, Thanksgiving, potluck items from relatives, and so much more, there’s only so much resistance one person can have.
Instead, take some time for yourself and treat yourself to a nice snack, meal, dessert. Since it’s holiday time, there should be no shame in sneaking an extra cookie in or grabbing a peppermint hot chocolate with an extra marshmallow (or ten).
So go to the store and buy that decadent pie, bubble tea or ice cream you’ve been eyeing all week. Sit down and curl up with your textbook and unabashedly treat yourself. Even better, go out to eat and relax with some friends. Having a social life is important to keep you sane.
2. Test your skills
So now that you’re happily satiated and have got some inspiration, it’s time to put your skills to the test.
There’s nothing better to get your mind off of those endless amounts of notes you took or the stress of not understanding what your teacher said in class—so take a break and bake.
Bring out your inner chef and start cooking or baking something that you’ve always wanted to but never had time for until now. Or start early on testing out those recipes for your work potluck or family dinner over the holidays.
3. Clean up, clean up
After you’re done cooking up a storm and making a mess of the kitchen, you have to clean it up, right? You can’t let those dishes just sit there in the sink while you’re tantalizing history textbook just sits there calling you to come back and study.
Take some time to indulge in some cleaning therapy or just clean that beautiful shared kitchen that everyone has neglected to clean up the whole year.
4. Every chef has to have the right set of tools
Now that you’re done cleaning and reorganizing your kitchen, you’ve come to realize that you could really use that new Sushezi Roller that everyone has been talking about.
Start making that holiday wishlist and gathering your kitchen supplies to open your new restaurant or food truck. You know, just as a backup, in case you don’t finish going through your notes in time for the final…
5. Stock up
Now that you’ve got all your shiny tools ordered and on the way, it’s time to go shopping so that you can start prepping and testing out your tools and recipes.
Grocery shopping will help you get your mind off of those books and focus your attention on something more important: feeding yourself.
Going grocery shopping is also a great way to see what new food trends are out there and what is new on the market. You’re basically doing a more important kind of studying. Food studying and shopping for those essential brain foods that will keep you going during finals.
6. Watch and learn
There’s nothing better to get your mind off of those books than to watch some good ol’ fashioned television. Also, studying from the masters of Iron Chef or Youtube is a great way to hone your skills. And, hey, at least you’re studying!
7. Put your skills to the test: write it or snap it
So you’ve honed your skills and you’ve learned from the best in this short study break that you’ve taken, now what? Time to put your new skills and knowledge to the test!
Start a food blog or become Instafamous (or just snap your friends everything you eat and all your food cooking fails like I do).
Now is the time to put your skills to the test. #EatingfortheInsta, #foodie, #foodporn, #nom, #yummy, #hungry—yeah, you get the idea.
8. Read more Spoon articles
Still haven’t procrastinated enough? Check out Spoon University for more articles on all your food needs and cravings! Click for more procrastination ahead.
Okay, time to get back to studying for me. Good luck and happy eating!