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My alarm went off at 11 p.m., signaling bedtime. The open laptop on my desk reminded me that I still had to finish studying for my chemistry exam and edit my public service announcement project.

After five hours of sleep, I awoke with a headache, weary eyes and a body longing to go back to bed. This was my reality last semester during finals week.

I remember hearing from my friends about similar experiences, worrying over essays and exams on the last day of the semester. We bonded over the struggle, laughing about getting little sleep and turning it into a friendly competition with no real winner.

The stress my friends and I experienced inspired me to reflect on how to implement healthier strategies during finals week, so I created and shared an anonymous survey to assess their habits. They shared it with others, resulting in 24 Syracuse University undergraduate participants.

The survey results confirmed that stress is a universal experience. On a scale of one to 10 — with 10 being extremely stressed — 50% of participants reported stress levels between seven and nine during finals week last semester.

These responses painted a vivid portrait of stress in students’ lives. Imagine empty cans of energy drinks strewn across your desk. You’re wide awake. It’s nearly midnight and too late to continue studying effectively. A 30-minute break scrolling........

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