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Prioritizing Wellness During Finals Week

March 11, 2025
Aidan Chung

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Finals week is here: stay balanced with wellness and relief resources. 

Winter Quarter finals have arrived at Northwestern, bringing with them the usual mix of stress, long study hours, and academic pressure. As students navigate this challenging time, Northwestern offers a variety of wellness and finals relief resources to help manage stress and stay balanced. Read on to learn more about the resources available to support you through the final stretch of winter quarter.

Finals Relief Events
  • Free printing on Norris ground floor: March 12-19, 8 a.m. to midnight
  • Dedicated study space in Norris
    • March 12: 2 to 10 p.m., Chicago Room | 4 to 10 p.m., Evans Room & Big Ten Room
    • March 13-14: 2 to 4 p.m., Chicago Room, Big Ten Room
    • March 15-17: 2 to 4 p.m.,Wildcat Room, Evans Room, Chicago Room, Big Ten Room 
Find Mental Health Support Through CAPS

As Northwestern's primary mental health service, CAPS provides core services at no charge, including individual and group therapy, workshops and other educational programming.

According to associate director for community-based interventions at Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) Nick Jenkins, the easiest way to get started with CAPS is through same-day access, a drop-in service available to all students on the Evanston campus.

"SDA can be used for any mental health concern, big or small," Jenkins said. "You're able to meet with a therapist and make a treatment plan that's going to be most helpful for you."

  • To participate, visit the CAPS office on the second floor of Searle Hall at 633 Emerson Street or call 847.491.2151 and request a walk-in appointment.

SDA is available Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. SDA functions on a first-come, first-served basis and cannot be scheduled in advance. Students should block out at least an hour and a half to fill out paperwork and meet with a counselor.

  • For support outside of business hours, students can call 847.491.2151 and press “0” after the prompt.
Engage in Community and Activities on Campus

Finding opportunities to connect with others can help combat feelings of isolation during the colder months. If you're looking to build community and stay active, consider exploring the many programs and events hosted by Student Affairs.

  • Stay up-to-date with what's going on each week at Northwestern by reading the weekly PawPrint student newsletter and website.
Try White Light Therapy 

In the darker times of the year, white light therapy has proven to be a reliable treatment for SAD and other forms of depression. According to Jenkins, the light replicates how your brain responds to a sunny day, affecting brain chemistry in a way that can improve mood similar to how mood is improved for some people during the summertime.  

White light therapy is most effective when performed regularly and early in the morning. The Wellness Suite at Henry Crown Sports Pavillion (SPAC) has white light boxes available for student use, free of charge with no limit on the number of sessions they can access.   

“Anybody who’s coming from a warm weather environment to a very cold weather, darker environment has a higher probability of experiencing seasonal depression.” Jenkins said.  

Appointments are made by calling 847.467.2607 or by stopping by the Wellness Suite on the first floor of SPAC (2311 Campus Drive) Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  

Stay Active 

Physical and mental wellness is directly linked to staying active.  

“When seasonal depression happens, people have less motivation,” Jenkins said. “But the things that help with depression are basically everything the depression is telling us not to do.” 

NU Recreation provides a variety of activities designed to foster individual fitness and enrich student’s lifestyles. 

For those looking to get outdoors, there are plenty of other ways to stay active this winter.  

Practice Mindfulness 

Mindfulness develops awareness and practices healthy responses to the everyday stress of life. Here are some resources for beginning your journey into mindfulness: 

student meditatingDownload Northwestern Wellness Apps 

Northwestern provides free access to apps that support mental health and sleep hygiene: 

Bookmark Wellness at Northwestern and NUhelp 

For more information on Northwestern’s wellness resources, visit: 

  • Wellness at Northwestern: A hub for students to navigate all eight dimensions of well-being and connect with various support services and resources.  

This story was originally published on January 17, 2025.