Stay Calm, Test on!

Stay Calm, Test On!

8 ways to stay calm during finals week.

1. Take breaks regularly. I know it seems silly, but just taking ten minutes every hour or so will really help you focus and not go crazy. You need to remind yourself of the outside world.

    

2. Take a walk. Yeah it’s a little chilly and snowy outside, but that might actually be a good thing. The breeze will clear your head and calm down your nerves.

    

3. Don’t skip meals or snacks. You’ll be spending hours at a time preparing for your finals, so eat regularly, and not just junk food. If you don’t eat then you’ll be hungry and tired. That’ll make studying feel way more taxing then it is, which will only freak you out more.

    

4. Hang out with friends. Don’t make the whole week just about your finals. It’s also the last week before you spend a month away from your friends. So, spend some time with them, it’ll keep you relaxed and feeling happy, too. Which will only improve your studying resolve when you go back to the books.

    

5. Dance a little. Music might be too distracting while studying, but during a ten minute break or right before and after an hour of studying it can help calm you down. Sitting in a desk all day is going to start stressing you out sooner than later, so release some pent up energy with a wild dance so you don’t get antsy.

    

6. Take it one at a time. Even if you have multiple exams on one day you need to only think of one at a time. Whether you start with your hardest one, or just study them in the order you have to take them, don’t pack them on. Study one subject at a time, instead of spreading all your class notes around you. That’ll keep you from getting overwhelmed and feeling like you have too much to do and too little time.

    

7. Reward yourself. Once the final is over, even if you still have three more to go, reward yourself. Go enjoy pancakes in the Union, get some hot chocolate or watch your favorite movie, whatever makes you feel relaxed. That’ll reset you for whatever you have to do next.

    

8. Breathe. It might feel like this week is the last thing you’ll ever do, but when it’s over you’ll have a month to spend with friends and family. So just take a deep breath and you’ll get through your finals with minimal pain.

• exams
• finals
• stress
• tests