Students Prepare for Finals

December 5, 2011

Beach Balance, a partnership with Student Health Services (SHS), Disabled Student Services (DSS), and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) that focuses on holistic personal well-being, hosted a Getting Pumped Up For Finals Workshop on Tuesday Dec. 5 at the Student Recreation & Wellness Center (SRWC) in the Beach Balance office at 6 p.m.

Michael Barraza, CAPS psychologist, used confidence building, positive thinking, and anxiety controlling to maximize performance during finals.  He offered five tips to prepare for the upcoming finals week to the 13 students who attended the workshop.

1.) Visualize- Look at finals as a challenge and not a burden. Visualizing will allow you to see that you can demonstrate what you have learned throughout the semester rather than test your knowledge can prevent you from setting yourself up for failure.

2.) Eat Well- Eat something you are familiar with and know will digest comfortably. Barraza suggests not trying new foods that might upset your stomach and distract you during the final.

3.) Visit the Learning Assistance Center (LAC)- Visit the LAC in the Horn Center if you are at a loss for how to study or what to study, they may be able to offer great assistance.

4.) Study in Groups- Find different study habits that work for you and learning in a group may make the final seem less stressful and scary.

5.) Visit Professor’s Office Hours- It is never too late to visit the professor’s office hours, and if you are busy or uncomfortable with talking with your professor try e-mailing your question.

Barraza also demonstrated a controlled breathing exercise: “Rate your level of stress on a scale of 1-10 and keep it in your head.” With one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest and engage your diaphragm: inhale for 3 seconds, exhale for 3 seconds (about 6 times or until you feel more relaxed).  When you are done, evaluate your stress level again to see if there is improvement. “When you are relaxed, you see more choices, and in turn make better choices,” Barraza explained.

Other workshops Barraza has facilitated through Beach Balance are Get a Good Night’s Sleep and Stress & Relaxation Skills.

Barraza has worked at CSULB for two and half years where he has worked with community mental help, hospitals, and students. Currently Barraza is a psychologist at the CAPS office. Barraza is an alumnus of CSULB where he received his bachelor’s degree in liberal studies.  He continued his education at the California School of Psychology where he received his master’s degree and doctorate in clinical psychology.

The SRWC is a 126,500 square feet recreation facility located at the east end of the CSULB campus that provides recreational activities, programs, and opportunites to the students, associates, and affiliates of the university.