Nothing says the end of the semester like an addiction to Red Bull, permanent dark circles under your eyes and back pain from sleeping on a shelf in the library.

But staying fit and healthy during this stressful time is still possible.

A pamphlet on eating disorders from the Binghamton University Counseling Center says that stress, a busy class schedule, a job and late-night studying or partying can all contribute to weight gain.

The center’s Web site also states that eating can provide an individual with comfort and a pleasurable escape from stressful responsibilities, such as a heavy finals schedule.

Rebecca Fraid, the president of the Eating Awareness Student Committee at Binghamton University, said the key to maintaining your weight under stress is moderation.

“Everything in moderation is OK, but when you are drinking 10 beers in one night and then going to the dining hall to get two cheeseburgers and fries for breakfast, weight gain is inevitable,” the senior biology and Africana studies major said.

The EASC teaches students how to maintain healthy eating and exercise habits.

As a personal trainer at FitSpace, Fraid praised the physical and emotional benefits of working out.

“Working out is my biggest de-stressor,” she said. “Not only can it change your body, but it releases endorphins, which are the body’s natural opiates that make you feel good and decrease stress levels.”

According to Maggie Venti, the public relations chair for the EASC, exercise produces countless health benefits in addition to relieving stress.

“[Exercise] reduces the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, cancer [and] diabetes, improves your psychological well-being and reduces anxiety and depression,” the senior theater major said. “You will also build up a strong immune system.”

According to Jennifer Wegmann, an instructor in the health and wellness department at BU, everyone handles stress differently.

“Some people eat [more], some people don’t eat,” she said. “Stresses are perceived, so what stresses you may not stress me. I can look at exercise as a great stress relief and another person can view it as a stressor.”

The University Counseling Center’s Web site also suggests combating stress through muscle relaxation, meditation, yoga and increasing your protein intake, because stress accelerates the rate at which protein is absorbed in the body.

For more information on how to beat stress, visit www2.binghamton.edu/counseling/pamphlets/beating-stress.html.