Exam Takers Use Food to Beat Stress
During exam week, college students find comfort in their favorite snacks.
SYRACUSE, N.Y., Feb. 26, 2009 -- Kelsey Bilodeau is busy, to say the least. The Syracuse University senior is dual-majoring in history and psychology, and minoring in entrepreneurship. With a big week of tests and papers coming up, she is prepared—with muffins.
"It's just senior year: applying to internships while applying for law school and trying to figure out how I can afford to live in a city of my choosing," said Bilodeau. "Muffins are just a good comfort food."
Whether it's a blueberry muffin or macaroni and cheese, during the high-stress weeks of midterms, a bite of your favorite food might be just the answer. You might be cramming for a test in the library with a bag of your best-loved cookies, or pulling an all-nighter with your trusty mug of flavored coffee.
Whatever their snack of choice, most college students find this is the perfect time of year to indulge in favorite comfort foods.
Bilodeau bakes up a fresh batch of blueberry muffins whenever she's feeling a little too stressed out. But to make her muffins, she shuts the cookbooks and gets creative.
"They were always what my mom used to make me when I was little, and I was going to have a special day," she explained. "To make them a little healthier, I add whole-wheat flour and applesauce instead of oil or butter. I mean, muffins are still not good for you—ever. But, adding this makes them that little bit healthier. It makes it OK to eat three instead of just one."
Her blueberry muffins are a big hit among roommates and friends alike, especially during midterm week.
"Blueberry muffins have a special place in my heart," she said, laughing. "But blueberry muffins have a special place in everyone's heart, don't they?"
Students around Syracuse University's upstate New York campus had definite ideas on what to eat during the midterm crunch.
"A food that I rely on during midterm time is Swedish Fish," said senior Kevin Kern. "You can buy them in bulk at Wegman's [supermarket] and they never go bad. It's not really for the sugar high, I just like the way they taste."
