By Kira Allen | April 5 2021 |
As we head into exams and culminating tasks, don’t forget to keep fuelling yourself with study snacks and healthy habits! Although there are no magical foods or activities that will automatically guarantee that you ace your exams, finding a few new ways to nourish your brain definitely won’t hurt.
Easy study snacks can be great motivation to solve a few more questions, to enjoy your five-minute break, or to reward yourself for another paragraph! How many of these favourites from students at KSS have you tried?
Trail mix. It’s healthy as long as you don’t only eat the chocolate!
Hummus. It’s delicious and loaded with plant-based protein.
Popcorn. If it gets butter on your keyboard, get creative with a spoon, or maybe even chopsticks!
Off-brand nachos. A handful of tortilla chips with cheese in the microwave are a quick warm snack.
Pretzel crackers and pepperettes. What’s not to like?
Smoothie. If these sunny days are making you miss summer, whip up a fruit smoothie.
Chocolate-covered almonds. Enough said.
Veggies. Sugar snap peas, anyone?
BBQ chips. It’s great to treat yourself, but if you’re looking for a crunchy, healthier alternative, try roasted chickpeas.
Fancy avocado. Cut your avocado in half, sprinkle it with paprika, pepper, chilli flakes salt, and a dash of lime juice, then scoop with a spoon.
Fruit. Fruit has all sorts of health benefits and it tastes great! We recommend apples and grapes.
Peanut butter. Put it on apple slices, in oatmeal, or with Nutella on toast.
Goldfish. They even smile at you!
Have another? Share in the comments!
Here are a few bonus tips for keeping your brain healthy. Again, none of these promise perfection and they’re certainly not a substitute for studying, but healthy habits go a long way.
Exercise! The endorphins from physical activity boost your mood, your workout will take your mind off school, and movement is good for your mental health. Research shows that leg exercise, especially with weights, relays signals to the brain that help to construct healthy neural cells.
Two of the most important nutrients for your nervous system are B12 (cobalamin) and B9 (Folate). Cobalamin builds and maintains the myelin sheaths in nerve cells. Fish, beef, clams, and certain cereals are high in cobalamin, and cobalamin supplements are also available.
Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, especially as you push yourself to wrap up your course. You won’t be able to get much done if you’re only half awake. What’s more, Intriguing science suggests that sleep plays a role in encoding memory. Avoiding caffeine near bedtime, keeping a consistent sleep schedule, and turning down lights near bedtime can improve your sleep.
Good luck to everyone finishing up an octomester; you’ve come a long way, learned a lot, and you are so close!
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I've definitely got to try roasted chickpeas!