One of the best parts of the movie \Minority Report"" is when a group of cops track down Tom Cruise's fugitive character. ""Don't run,"" they say to him in a cornered alley, but of course Tom comes back with, ""Everybody runs,"" and proceeds to make one hell of an escape for a crazy 5'11"" scientologist.
Soon, UW-Madison students are going to find themselves backed into an alley, but instead of jetpack-wearing police chasing them, their professors will be waving midterms in their faces. ""Everyone stresses out, don't worry,"" they might say. Unfortunately, lots of students do stress out, and don't have the Hollywood magic of Mr. Cruise to get them out of their hectic midterm binds.
""Stress is related to anything that is considered a demand or high expectation,"" said Robert McGrath, director of Counseling and Consultation Services, a unit of University Health Services. Students may put themselves under too much pressure for the exams. Add any demand of life onto this and everyone is being constantly bombarded by stressors.
How are students going to deal with all this stress during such a hectic time? According to McGrath, stress and its relief are very individualized, but there is hope. Thankfully, there are plenty of things to do and advice to be taken on campus that can help in dealing with midterm stress.
Sweatin' it Out
UW-Madison is a fit campus. It is ninth on Men's Fitness' Top 20 Fittest Colleges in America list. Students work out a lot, even during exam time.
Marshall Stringfield, a UW-Madison junior, exercises an average of three to four times a week. He finds himself doing more short-term running during exam time.
""It's a good way to get your mind off of studying,"" he said.
The SERF, Shell and Natatorium are all good places to relieve stress, as students seem to show. John Horn, director of recreational programs at UW-Madison, has observed an increased attendance at these facilities during these stressful times.
""Our busiest times tend to center around right now, like the start of school, and then ... there is a little lull right during midterms because everyone is obviously studying and taking those, but afterwards we see that boost right back up again,"" he said.
Horn stresses the importance of students working out and exercising during these stressful times.
""Academics are paramount, but [students] have to make time for themselves and for their body and health. It's only going to help them study a little bit better,"" Horn said. ""When you exercise you actually boost your energy levels.""
McGrath echoes this route of stress relief by exercise, but also offers a warning about it.
""It can become a stressor like anything else,"" he said. This means exercise activities that involve competition or goals that can be demanding, like a contested basketball game, can be stressful in themselves. He thinks the best stress-reducing exercise is the ongoing type like running, biking or swimming. This allows students to more easily focus on the experience other than demands.
Time For Good Food
Each individual has his or her own favorite foods that make him or her feel good. Midterm season makes for an excellent chance to get that special comfort from a craving. However, it is also a time where eating habits can have a big effect on performance.
State Street offers plenty of restaurant choices and can be a study haven for those with an appetite. The Sunroom Cafe is one of those places that offers a great atmosphere along with a wide selection of food.
Mark Paradise, owner of The Sunroom Cafe, sees students either coming in for a quick bite to eat or to find a larger, healthy meal for energy during exam time.
""People might be more concerned that they have something that's going to fill them up so they can study for a longer period of time and not have to worry about getting another meal or another snack,"" he said.
October is traditionally Paradise's busiest month, though he has not thought of midterms attributing to the increased business. He has noticed increased study groups in the restaurant around exams.
However, he does think there is an increase in breakfast business around the time of midterms, believing that many students may want a better morning meal during these stressful days.
To relieve stress, Paradise advises students to make healthy choices such as choosing alternatives to caffeinated beverages, like green tea. He urges students to take the time to sit down and just have a good meal to take the edge off of things.
Stress Sharing
Who can stay too far away from a computer? People study on computers and fight distraction. The temptation to talk to friends through instant messages is hard to resist. Why fight these urges when they can be turned into stress relievers?
""Talking to friends whenever, not just during tests, is relaxing. But I guess it can be distracting,"" said UW-Madison sophomore Leah Steinbauer. When longer distraction can be avoided, McGrath believes talking and messaging are good stress relievers.
""Feeling a sense of like, 'I'm not the only one,' expressing stress is helpful,"" McGrath said. This sense of connection can give students a positive diversion from the stressor of studying and is a good sense of release.
Drink Your Stress Away?
With exams done, that stress of what grade will come of them is still hanging in the air. Many students have a perfect solution to whisking away that remaining tension: alcohol. This is always a popular option and throwing back a bottle of beer in this situation can be a good idea to an extent.
""If a few [drinks] turns out to be 10 or 12, you've got a new stressor in your body,"" McGrath warned. Alcohol turns out to be a physiological stressor, especially the morning after. But having one or two drinks in a social setting can be a good way to wind down as long as a few does not lead to more. UW-Madison junior Adam Erdman enjoys drinking to relieve his stress. However, he does not always adhere to the warnings of limited consumption, even though his stresses are reduced.
""One or two beers relieves your stress, but honestly after six or seven you don't really care about anything so how can you say you're stressed out?"" Erdman said. Along with that, Erdman also said he did not have any problems in the morning, meaning different students could have some quite different experiences.
Get Help
These are only a few ways to relieve stress and relax during or after midterms, but they may not work for everyone. Students have the Counseling and Consultation Services of UHS, located at 115 N. Orchard St., at their disposal. Here, students can learn methods of muscle relaxation, meditation, humor release and just how to make time to 'chill' by focusing on the matter at hand.
""You're going to be more stress-free if you concentrate on the material you're studying as opposed to feeling pressure,"" McGrath said. The Counseling and Consultation Services can guide students on how to do this with stress management. It's easy: appointments can be made by calling (608) 265-5600.
As it can be seen, everybody has the means to escape stress. Those professors will still be there with scantrons and study guides. Stress will still happen, but now you will not need a Spielberg movie budget and special effects to make a daring escape.
