“I have always enjoyed meditative prayer, and being in that environment helps me deal with the stress,” Hanley said.

“A lot of stress occurs during exam time. When people think back to their roots and look at what has carried them through hard times, they look back to religion, God and the church.”

Religious organizations around campus are doing their part to help students succeed on their finals.

Father Mark Inglot of St. John’s Student Parish said there is a direct correlation between finals week and a packed church.

While the church holds 730 people, about 650 people attend noon mass on a typical Sunday.

Inglot said the same noon mass the week before finals week is standing room only.

“There is nothing like final exams to tell you that students are basically religious people,” Inglot said.

“Sometimes, it’s a last-ditch effort to ask for God’s help and divine assistance in a time of added stress and pressure, but other times students come here as a first resort.”

St. John’s Student Parish is not the only church in East Lansing opening its doors to students during finals.

“Oftentimes, churches offer things to students that they might not normally offer them during finals week to make studying easier,” said the Rev. Gary Autry, campus pastor of The Peoples Church, 200 W. Grand River Ave.

Autry hopes students will take advantage of the college lounge — a study area in the church’s basement equipped with sofas, snacks, a coffee maker and computers for students.

Autry said he expects more students to visit the church this week than other weeks because of the opportunities offered.

“We’ll be serving meals to students every day, even on Sunday,” Autry said.

MSU Hillel Jewish Student Center, 360 Charles St., also will make studying enjoyable for students during finals week, Hillel Executive Director Cindy Hughey said.

“We are going to be open 24 hours a day, and we’re also going to provide food and coffee all night long. We want (students) to be comfortable while they’re studying,” she said.

Staff writer Tara Thoel contributed to this article.