Regardless of how much you have to study, it’s important to stay active and reduce your stress levels. According to Erica Svoboda, wellness coordinator of Loyola’s Recreational Sports Complex, finals is the most important time to fit in a workout or some type of exercise, particularly to help with stress. “Reading the same thing over and over again makes you stressed,” Svoboda said. “So exercising helps to get the blood flowing, it gets you reenergized so you can feel better and do better studying.”

To help students alleviate stress, the Recreational Sports Complex will be offering free chair massages and meditation times. The free chair massages will be available between May 1 and May 8. Meditations will be held on Thursday, April 25, Thursday, May 2 and Monday, May 6.

Aside from these activities, Svoboda said students could take advantage of the programs, activities and equipment that the gym offers year-round. “We have all our open recreation, the cardio machines, the weights and the group exercise schedule. They can even shoot basketball for a bit,” Svoboda said.

Among the group exercises, students can choose from boot camp, yoga, water aerobics, aquazumba and several others. Svoboda said few people remember to use the pool and hot tub, which will also be available during finals week. Although the pool and hot tub close one hour before the building closes, the entire gym will maintain its regular opening hours throughout finals.