Hi, Viga.
Honestly, I think NRT would be a big mistake at your point. It would be like giving a heroin junkie or an alcoholic just a little bit of their drug of addiction to get them through a rough spot. That's really not a good idea.
My suggestion is to not try to avoid it, but expect it. Go headlong into it. When you sit down to study, assume and expect a crave to hit full force. Prepare yourself mentally to accept it's presence and that you will not give in to it, that you will just ride it out because it is temporary. I'm betting you'll find them much weaker and easier to deal with than expected.
Craves at your point are memory triggered. Apparently, there are a set of circumstances (stress over test + studying?) that you used to use nicotine to get you through, and this association has not been extingushed yet. Each time you get through a smoking situation nicotine-free you weaken the association until it eventually is broken.
558 days is just awesome, Viga. I can only imagine what it will be like to be there myself. Patience, me, it will come. :)
Shevie
[B]My Milage:[/B]
[B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/23/2005
[B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 329
[B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 6,592
[B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1250.2
[B]Life Gained:[/B]
[B]Days:[/B] 61 [B]Hrs:[/B] 10 [B]Mins:[/B] 47 [B]Seconds:[/B] 10