It’s that time of the semester! You are so close to the end but have to jump over one last hurdle: finals week. It’s possibly the hardest time of the semester since we have just come back from a relaxing Thanksgiving break, and now are suddenly pushed into finals mode. If you’re worried, don’t fret! I have listed some tips that may help us survive this stressful time.
1. Have a plan: Create a schedule + display it
The worst thing you could do to yourself during finals week is to be unorganized. You know the feeling when you are so overwhelmed with work that you choose to do nothing? Yeah, finals week is not the week you want to do that. Instead, have a game plan going in. Look at your finals schedule and plan accordingly. Schedule study times for the classes that are coming up first. When it comes to allocating the amount of time for each class, remember it is not a “one size fits all.” Some classes need more time than others, so plan accordingly. Additionally, display your study schedule where you will always see it.
Related: How to Cultivate A Personal Schedule for Distance Learning
2. Review Often
A common technique of studying I have seen is reviewing new concepts every day. While this technique makes sense, it’s common to forget what was reviewed a couple of days ago. This is why I think it is vital to take 15 minutes and review what was studied before. Don’t feel the need to go over everything. Just a skim through can help! You can also highlight/bookmark concepts you don’t completely remember so you can go back to them when you have more time.
3. Be disciplined about your sleep
It may be tempting to sleep later at night so you can cover more material. It’s completely fine to do that as long as you compensate for your sleep in the morning. If you sleep at 3 AM, allow yourself to sleep in till 10 AM. Sleep fuels your brain and allows you to function properly. Don’t take that away from yourself.
4. Create your own study guide
Most teachers in college don’t provide study guides. Those that do often don’t make them extremely detailed. I find that it is always helpful to create your own. It’s customizable with what you need to focus on, you can color code it, and organize it however you want! It is also helpful to have all the information in one document. That way, when you are reviewing your material, you’re not constantly juggling a million documents.
Related: Defeating Overwhelmingness During the Pandemic
5. Make it fun
Sure, finals week is a dreaded time, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun! If one goes in with the mindset that they hate finals week, odds are that they will be miserable the entire time. Instead, try to spice it up! Set the ~vibe~. Start by lighting a candle. Curate a finals specific playlist so you have good music to look forward to. Zoom call some friends (and put them on mute) while studying so you feel like you have company even when you are alone in your room. Buy some colorful pens in order to get excited about writing notes. You could even buy yourself a new water bottle to ensure you are hydrating yourself. It’ll be the little things that will uplift your mood!
