Fueling through Finals: High Stress Times Call for High Quality Fuel By Charlotte Altman and Sarah Fieldman
It is no secret that finals week takes a toll on our mental and physical health. Whether that means staying up late to study or that your anxiety is through the roof, finals are exhausting. Making sure our bodies have the right nutrients to perform during finals week is necessary in order to succeed in retaining information and maintaining energy. Our bodies require a mixture of carbohydrates, proteins and healthy fats in order to power our brains. If we’re being honest, college students are lazy. Given the choice between grabbing a three-finger combo from Cane’s or going home to cook themselves a healthy, balanced meal, Cane’s takes the prize. While taking the time out of your day to prepare a homemade meal is probably unreasonable for most college students, dedicating even just an hour to meal prepping one day a week shouldn’t be. Meal prepping is a fast and convenient way to maximize study time throughout the week and fuel your body with the correct nutrients you need in order to succeed. To plan for a long week spent in the library, we make sure we have meals prepared in advance that take less than five minutes to make when the time comes. Preparing hard boiled eggs before the week begins makes for an easy breakfast and contains the same nutrients you would get by scrambling eggs in a pan before class, with half the effort and time. Pair the hard boiled eggs with a piece of whole-grain toast (our favorite is Dave’s Killer Bread), and you have a quick, effortless and nutritious breakfast ready to go.
Before resorting to a slice of pizza from Ian’s or cookies from Insomnia, you might want to consider choosing foods that will boost your energy, concentration, memory and mental function during finals. According to registered dietician Jillian Kubala’s article “The Top 9 Brain Foods for Studying and Exams”, foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential to brain and memory function, are vital during heavy duty studying. Fish such as salmon or dark, leafy greens like broccoli and spinach are all high in Omega-3s making them a staple for studying. Not only is chocolate perfect for satisfying a late night essential, it’s also loaded with flavonoids, a group of antioxidant plant compounds. As stated by Healthline’s “11 Best Foods to Boost Your Brain and Memory,” flavonoids are proven to enhance memory and also help slow down age-related mental decline. This next one is a no-brainer: coffee. When consumed in moderate amounts (1-2 cups/day), caffeine is a tried and true tactic for burning the midnight oil in the library. However, we urge you not
