The dreaded finals week is officially upon us, which makes enjoying our last few weeks in Tallahassee nearly impossible. There are a million other things I would rather be doing than studying, but I simply have no choice. So, over the years I have found that these are some things that make this week run just a bit smoother.
1. Schedule your breaks
There are two kinds of people in this worldâthose who refuse to take a break, and those who take way too many breaks. Either extreme is not productive, but as someone who airs on the side of taking too many breaks, this was a learning curve for me. Often while studying, the mere proximity of my phone is distracting enough to convince myself it is time for another break. I will allow myself 45 minutes of uninterrupted study time and then 15 minutes of free time. What ends up happening is that the study time begins to feel shorter and shorter which makes the break time significantly more desirable. There are tons of studies out there that prove that this is genuinely a successful studying tip, and I have to say, after trying it myself, I must agree.
2. Know that your mental health comes first
No matter how many finals weeks youâve been through, it is hard not to stress about what will happen if the studying doesnât pay off. Weâve seemingly all been conditioned to think that one poor final score is going to totally ruin the entirety of our 10-year plan. In reality, however, you could bomb every single one of your finals and still find yourself accomplishing everything youâve always wanted to. So, it is important to remember that in no way are you defined by your exam scores, and if you feel like your mental health is beginning to suffer, it is time for a break. Go for a walk, watch a couple of episodes of Vampire Diaries or go for some retail therapy at Target. I promise it will make a difference.
3. VERBAL PROCESSING
Verbal processing is essentially making your internal thoughts external. You would be very surprised at how many people are unaware of the significant help this tool could be. Grab a roommate, best friend, big or little, call mom up on the phone or even sit a teddy bear at the end of your bed and act like you are teaching them the material. When you are processing something verbally as opposed to in your head and to yourself, you hear things differently, and you can see how well you really know the material. In this process, you open up the potential to make the information click like it never has before. And, not to mention, you are teaching someone else the material, which they say is the best indicator of mastery of the subject.
Finals week can be a drag, no doubt. When all you want to do is run around Tallahassee stress-free, we are instead bound to the study room almost in tears. These are some things that have helped me over the years, and hopefully sharing them with you will make this week a little less miserable. Best of luck, and as always, Go Noles!
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