Proper nutrition is a crucial aspect of being a college student, especially when finals, presentations and papers leave little time for home-cooked meals.
“When it comes to eating habits during finals week, skipping soda is a good idea because a large sugar intake tends to increase the rate of crashing later on,” said Jennifer Starkey, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.
Apples, on the other hand, are a good, natural energy booster.
According to Sarah Thompson, a lecturer in the department of physical education academics, sleeping aids, Adderall and energy drinks can cause your body to crash, which can lead to oversleeping and even missing a test.
“The most important thing about nutrition during finals week is that you don’t change your eating habits,” Thompson said. “You should practice your [regular] eating patterns.”
Jason Wu, a junior majoring in finance marketing and management information systems, said he eats bananas for energy and always brings a bottle of water to his tests.
“The week before finals, I tend to eat less, when usually I eat a lot,” Wu said. “I get so focused on my tests that I lose my appetite. It’s actually not healthy.”
According to Starkey, coffee and Red Bull, which are frequent drinks found in a college student’s diet, contain no nutritional value.
However, one or two cups of coffee a day may actually be good for your heart, and Red Bull does contain antioxidants, such as taurine, and vitamins that act as metabolism-increasing substances.
“Small amounts of caffeine can also help with cognition, or the thought process,” Starkey added.
“Vegetables and fruits, especially ones with Vitamin C, help the immune system,” Thompson said, adding that those are, however, not the types of food people crave when they are stressed.