Gin as Analgesic

Coping with end of semester stress


It’s finals week, and like every other student at Wells College, I’m trying to juggle exams, packing, holiday shopping, job and internship arrangements, friends, and family. With a whole semester’s worth of work hinging on these last few days, and Christmas fast approaching, stress is inevitable. Just remember it’s possible, even with the added strain of teething, to get everything done on time, with finesse, and sanity intact.

That’s right, one of my back wisdom teeth is coming in at an alarmingly pointy angle, directly into my cheek. The left side of my face is so swollen I look like I’m storing food for winter. Brushing my teeth is excruciating; I still can’t eat, I couldn’t sleep even if I had time to, and who can concentrate on work when they have to take ibuprofen every four hours.

In my desperation for the slightest relief, I knocked on every door in my dorm looking for Orajel. Though nobody seems to have oral analgesic gel or a good dentist’s number on hand at midnight, plenty of students have the next best thing: liquor. I gladly accepted a little to rub on my gums from a 21-year-old friend. I know firsthand that gin is an effective makeshift numbing agent. After waiting a few moments for the pain to subside, I promptly got to work writing some papers.

I realize not every kid on campus is going through the same predicament I am, but a lot can be learned from my folly. First, every senior in high school should be lawfully required to have their wisdom teeth removed, while they still have their parents’ insurance benefits and before life gets chaotic with college demands. Second, do not panic when plans go awry, or something unexpected happens; there’s a solution or substitution out there somewhere. Mistakes and life happens—some believe that chronic stress, tiredness, and poverty define the college experience.

It’s a fact that the cosmos mandate havoc to strike at the most inopportune times. For that reason, anticipate the worst and prepare accordingly, both mentally and physically. Don’t put everything off until the night before it’s due. Get enough sleep. Eat balanced, nutritious meals that don’t come from boxes and cans, unless processed foods are more appealing than whatever concoction the dinning hall serves. Buy a flash drive or three, using them to back up every term paper, final, and project. A little effort, common sense, food, and sleep go a long way toward preserving sanity. Personally, I’ll never miss a biannual cleaning with my dental hygienist again.

If trouble concentrating persists despite time management, try relaxing for a few minutes. Ten minute power naps are remarkably refreshing. Talking with friends, calling home, watching a movie, or listening to music helps lift my spirits, recharging my creativity and work ethic enough to make it through the last of my assignments unscathed. Meditation is also regenerative to the mind and body; concentration on breathing and thinking enhances the quality of sleep. Consistently meditating once a day even reduces how much sleep is needed to feel well rested over time.

Traditionally, finals precipitate stress, but they don’t have to this semester. No matter how hectic, exhausting, and painful life gets around semester’s end, the seemingly infinite work will get done, home will still be there, and the holidays will come and go. So sit back, make a cup of tea, and plan out a final exam schedule. Being organized will allow time for packing , goodbyes, and all the extra unanticipated procedures that the end of Fall 2009 brings.

One last thing: if all else fails, there’s always gin.


For advice on meditation, visit Meditation Oasis online.

Image found through Google image search, taken from http://www.emergencydentist.us/images/tooth-ache.jpg.