There are twelve school days left before the onset of finals.

Stress levels are steadily rising and those last minute grade-raising assignments are being tentatively offered by lenient professors.

For many students the stress ceases after their last final, but for countless others the stress barely subsides as they know another semester is quickly approaching.

What is it about college that makes our stress levels soar? Is it the deadlines? Is it the pressure of having to memorize so much information for so many different subjects? Or is it just the pressure of getting that high mark?

Stress isn’t always a bad thing. But because college students deal with so much of it at such a constantly high level, it can cause major problems.

If you frequently find yourself feeling frazzled and overwhelmed, it’s time to take action to bring your nervous system back into balance, or suffer the awful consequences.

Helpguide.org states that stress is your body’s way of protecting you. You become more alert, more awake and more motivated.

However, college students have gotten so used to stress that many act as though it doesn’t faze them anymore. Unfortunately ignoring the stress won’t make it go away.

“Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems. Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. It can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, contribute to infertility, and speed up the aging process.

Long-term stress can even rewire the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression.”

So what is a stressed-out student to do? Little things can help alleviate stress and help keep that “good” side of stress intact.

When studying for that huge make-it or break-it final exam, remember to take breaks. Your brain retains information best if you study in chunks.

Study for 20-50 minutes (depending on how well you can concentrate) and then get up and do a few crunches, eat a snack, take the dog for a quick walk, anything to give your mind a break for five or ten minutes.

Overloading yourself can not only make your stress worse, but can also make all those hours studying worthless.

So, study smart, study hard, but keep those stress levels manageable! Good luck!

For helpful study info: wikihow.com/study