Soon, the front of Mitchell Memorial Library will be covered with a huge sign that reads along the lines of “The library is now open 24 hours.” The Drill Field will temporarily transform from the busiest place on campus to a ghost town of its former self.
Final exams are quickly closing in.
One can feel completely alone while staring down a tower of notecards or struggling under the weight of textbooks on one’s shoulders while trudging to-and-from the library at two in the morning.
According to the Healthy Minds Study, a collection of data from 373 college campuses nationwide during the 2020-2021 school year, more than 60% of college students met the criteria for at least one mental health problem. 
Awareness of mental health in people of all ages is becoming more mainstream every year.
Kimberly Kavalsky, the mental health outreach coordinator for Health Promotion and Wellness at Mississippi State University, serves the student body in a variety of ways. One of her main duties is to visit classrooms, student organizations, residence halls and Greek housing all over campus and teach students about mental health.
“My hope is bringing awareness, reducing stigma and normalizing talking about some of the challenges that college students face,” Kavalsky said.
In Kavalsky’s eyes, all areas of health — physical, mental and emotional — work together toward the goal of many college students: receiving a degree that will help to propel the student forward in their future career or prepare them for the next steps ahead.
When it comes to staying well during final exams, Kavalsky said she believes that it all comes down to ensuring that basic needs — eating and sleeping — are taken care of.
As a mother of two young girls, Kavalsky has been repeatedly told to make sure her daughters get a good night’s sleep and eat a filling breakfast the morning of the girls’ annual state testing.
“What’s fascinating to me is when you get to college, no one says that anymore,” Kavalsky said.
Health Promotion and Wellness’ motto is “Be Well Bulldogs: Do Well. Live Well. Stay Well.”
Santee Ezell, the director of Health Promotion and Wellness, expressed exactly what this idea means to her.
“We know when students are not well. They are unable to be successful, whether that’s academically or socially, or they may not be as engaged. So, when we see students who are well, they’re able to be well, live well, do well and stay well,” Ezell said.
In preparation for finals week, the department has an event lined up for students.
On Nov. 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Dawg House of the Colvard Student Union, the department is hosting Finals Study Break. Treats like hot chocolate, coffee and healthy snacks, including a make your own trail mix activity, will be offered while the department educates students on the mental health services available to them on campus.
Ezell said self-care is important at all times during the school year, not just finals season. This will form an established, comfortable routine for each student that they will continue to practice once finals begin and end.
Listening to music, cooking a meal, reading a book, watching a feel-good movie and exercising are all self-soothing strategies that can be beneficial to a student’s mental health. Some students have even found comfort in meditation, a practice that Kavalsky herself has practiced in the past.
Jordan Taylor, a junior biochemistry major, finds the most stressful part of final exams is preparing for all the different ways that her professors format their tests.
“You can really prepare for some teachers because they’re very straightforward in their questions versus other teachers,” Taylor said.
One of Taylor’s biggest hurdles to overcome when studying is to simply sit down and get started. She said it is crucially important to ask the professor for help when facing something she does not understand.
“I think if you really come from a place of genuine interest, the teacher is so willing to help you prepare, study, give you tips and pointers and help you out where you need help,” Taylor said.
Sean McCulloch, a senior finance major, has faced serious stress stemming from the actual scheduling of his final exams.
“I’ll go two or three days without having any, and then, maybe one day I have like three or two tests that are right on top of each other,” McCulloch said.
As for de-stressing, McCulloch seeks out anything that takes his mind away from school in general. He said he is particularly a fan of podcasts and learning all about new concepts that are completely unrelated to what he might be studying in the classroom.
Ezell said she would like to share a piece of advice with students: “invest in yourself.” 
“That means, to me, being kind to yourself, giving yourself grace, filling your cup first and then the overflow is for everyone else,” Ezell said.