If these are typical study habits, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that none of the 597 students surveyed described themselves as completely free of stress.

Jibran Khokhar, a life sciences student at Queen’s University, says he tends to study at the last minute.

Is he stressed? “Very, very much,” he says. “I need notes badly. That’s why I’m out here looking for my housemates.”

Khokhar is in the majority: the Ipsos-Reid survey also found that fewer than a third of students start studying before the week of an exam.

The poll was carried out for Kumon Math and Reading Centres, a company that runs after-school programs for elementary and high school students. It’s one of the first to focus on the relationship between study habits and stress.

Donna McGhie-Richmond, an educational specialist with Kumon, says the survey confirms what we’ve all known intuitively for a long time: procrastination and stress are directly linked.

She says that there are certainly some students who can cram and not feel any stress.

“But for the large majority of us, we need to be well prepared, because cramming causes high stress and we know high stress inhibits performance.”

In Ontario, almost half of all students reported feeling high levels of stress during exams.

Andrew Laberge, a student at RMC, says stress hurts academic performance as well as social relationships. “There’s more tension during exams. Most people are more on edge.”

Khokhar says stress associated with exams causes him to lose a lot of sleep. “It’s just as well, because I need to be studying,” he says.

“But sometimes I feel really unsettled and uneasy.”

So why do university students procrastinate so much if it makes them feel so stressed? McGhie-Richmond says it’s a matter of habit. She says it’s hard to teach university students discipline if it hasn’t been enforced earlier on in life.

“That’s why it’s ideal to develop good study habits from a young age.”

Thankfully for many students who haven’t developed those habits, most universities offer counselling. Karla Lyster, president of RMC’s Peer Assistance Group, says there’s more demand for counselling at this time of year.

She also says it can be dangerous to let stress go unchecked. “It can cause insomnia, and bad eating habits. Sometimes people internalize it and start to feel guilty [for taking time off].”

Some of the worst cases she’s sent off for professional counselling.

Because people have different coping strategies, Lyster says her goal is to help students learn to help themselves. She says that by asking questions rather than giving advice, she can help students figure out what works for them. “Some people might shine their boots, others will go running, and others will sit down in front of an episode of Family Guy.”

The Ipsos poll found the most popular stress relief techniques were studying more, exercising and meditating.

Students were also asked what one thing they’d bring into an exam room to help relieve stress. Some said music. Others said they’d bring something to eat.

But Khokhar’s suggestion is no doubt the most effective.

“I’d bring my textbook,” he says.