As midterm week quickly approaches, many students have been hard at work preparing for their upcoming exams. Between studying for math, science, English and history, those who are hard at work need to find ways to cope with stress during two of the toughest weeks of the school year.

The first part of midterm week runs from Jan. 21 through Jan. 24, with the second week consisting of the last two days of exams, Jan. 27-28. Because many students have their semester exams during the first part of midterms this year, some have been using Martin Luther King Jr. Day as time to work ahead.

During this day, many Jefferson students also found stress relief in small study breaks, allowing them to clear their mind and prepare for the stressful week in front of them.

“I like to watch episodes of ‘How I Met Your Mother’ on Netflix,” sophomore Rishab Negi said. “It really takes my mind off of midterms and allows me to relax.”

However, junior Christina Zhao deals with midterm week by studying for each subject at different intervals.

“It’s really convenient that we have Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as well as a possible snow day tomorrow, so I can get more studying in,” Zhao said. “To study, I just take exams one at a time.”

According to an online poll conducted by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) website, 14 percent of those in America who regularly visited the site coped best with stressful situations through exercise, while many others relaxed by listening to music, watching a movie, eating or sleeping.

The ADAA recommends physical activity such as walking, running or yoga when dealing with stressful situations. These activities are the most helpful in producing endorphins, which serve as the “natural pain killer” for the body and mind.

“Going to track practice always helps me deal with stress,” Negi said. “Running really helps me clear my head.”

However, other students find that a different approach for dealing with midterm week stress works best for them.

“I just make a schedule for myself,” sophomore Disha Jain said. “This way I know when each midterm falls, so I study for the nearest ones first and then the ones which fall later last.”