As finals week approaches, the energy on campus begins to shift. Library chairs fill up faster, the Blue Bean is packed and conversations become peppered with countdowns, due dates and sleep-deprived sighs. But while the academic pressure might feel inescapable, Elizabethtown College is offering more than just study spaces to help students thrive—it’s also promoting balance, wellness and a bit of biology-backed wisdom.

To help students stay on track academically and emotionally, a variety of on-campus resources are ramping up their offerings ahead of finals.

The Center for Student Success has extended its peer tutoring hours, offering walk-in and scheduled sessions for subjects ranging from chemistry and calculus to writing and research support. 

Meanwhile, the High Library is staying open later, with extended quiet hours and designated collaborative zones. 

For students feeling overwhelmed, Counseling Services has drop-in wellness hours and stress management workshops. These sessions focus on breathing techniques, mindfulness and quick strategies to calm racing thoughts,tools that can be just as important as flashcards or Quizlets.

And of course, the Bowers Center for Sports, Recreation & Well-Being is keeping its doors open for students who need to move. Fitness classes, open gym hours and nature walks offer much-needed brain breaks and a chance to reset.

Among all the habits students are encouraged to build during finals, sleep might be the most overlooked—and the most crucial.

Pulling all-nighters may seem like a badge of honor in college culture, but science paints a very different picture. Sleep isn’t just for rest,it’s when the brain consolidates memories and processes new information. In other words, when you sleep, your brain is organizing everything you just studied,like putting files in the right folders.

Sleep also plays a role in focus, emotional regulation, and problem-solving. According to the National Institutes of Health, people who get seven to nine hours of sleep before a test perform better than those who sleep less, even if the less-rested students studied longer.

When you sleep, your brain enters cycles of deep rest and rapid-eye movement (REM). During these stages, your hippocampus, a region of the brain that stores short-term memories, communicates with the neocortex, where long-term memories are stored. That communication strengthens connections between what you’ve learned and your ability to recall it later.

In contrast, sleep deprivation disrupts this process, slows reaction time, impairs focus and increases levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. That means you might feel more anxious and less capable of handling the very workload you stayed up trying to manage.

The good news is that you don’t need a total lifestyle overhaul to benefit. Integrating simple habits like getting to bed 30 minutes earlier, staying hydrated, or taking 10-minute movement breaks can boost your brainpower and protect your mental health.

“I used to think I had to study until 2 a.m. to succeed,” sophomore communication major Cassie Evans said. “But last semester, I prioritized sleep and scheduled breaks—and I actually felt sharper during exams. It was the first time I felt confident walking into a test without feeling like a zombie.”

Here are some tips that could help you work through finals session: map out your study time, but schedule breaks and sleep just as seriously. Fuel your brain with nutritious meals and avoid relying solely on caffeine and energy bars. Moving a little, even a 15-minute walk or stretch can reduce stress and improve memory, can also help. Asking for help is also crucial, whether it’s tutoring, mental health support or just a friend to quiz you, don’t do it alone. Limit late-night screen time to help your body wind down naturally.

Taking care of your body and mind is part of the learning process, and Etown’s community is here to remind students of that.

“Your brain is powerful, but it needs rest to work well,” Etown Professor of Biology Jane Cavender said. “The best thing you can do before a test isn’t cramming—it’s sleeping.”

As students prepare to wrap up the semester, the message is clear: take advantage of the resources, trust your preparation and don’t underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep.

After all, success isn’t just about what you know, it’s about how well you’re able to show it. And sometimes, rest is the best study strategy of all.

Source: 

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/resting-may-boost-memory?utm