Finals are right around the corner. There are a few things you may want to know before you find yourself getting way too stressed out. Here are a few tips to survive finals week:
1. Pace yourself:
Don’t overwork yourself too fast! It won’t help to cram all of your studying too close to the test. It also isn’t necessarily good to study too far away from the test. Find a good amount of time to start studying and then study at a good pace. Find a method for you to study and make time for breaks in between studying. A study method I personally use is to really focus on studying for 20 consecutive minutes and then take a 5-10 minutes break.
2. Find a good place to study:
It’s important to be in a good environment while you study. Whether it’s the library, a study lounge, a dining hall, or your room; find your own space where you can focus and not be incredibly distracted. But make sure to walk around occasionally so you don’t get cabin fever.
3. Eat healthy
Eating healthy will make you feel good and give your mind the energy it needs to focus on studying and taking your finals. Stay away from fast food and food like pizza, burgers, etc. Fruits and vegetables are high in energy. Try substituting a meal involving meat with beans that are high in protein. This may even help you maintain better eating habits for after finals week.
4. Sleep
Pulling an all-nighter or not getting enough sleep for your test will do you more harm than good. For a young adult, you need to get 8-10 hours of sleep to function well. With a college lifestyle, getting that amount of sleep may seem unrealistic. That’s when naps become so helpful. Take a few naps in between studying and in between your finals. Your mind and body will thank you.
5. Flashcards
I’ve found that personally, flashcards are a really efficient way to utilize your time while studying. Writing down important keywords will help that stick in your mind. The repetition of going through the cards is also helpful. If you’ve never tried using flashcards, it may be a good technique for you!
6. Study buddy
Depending on the subject, it may be helpful to get together with another person or even put together a small study group. A larger group may be distracting and hard to allow you all to help each other. But sometimes being with someone else who has the same goal and will help you both focus and help each other. Taking breaks with someone can also help relieve some of the stress you both may be feeling.
7. Don’t overdose on coffee
Coffee can be helpful to giving you energy. However, too much coffee or drinking coffee to quickly will make you wired and jittery. Try alternative forms of energy found in superfoods and tea.
8. Netflix is your enemy
As tempting as it may be, watching Netflix in the end is a bad decision while you are trying to study. It is going to waste your time and cause you to feel more stressed. Other social networks and the Internet are distracting as well. Turn off your phone, ignore the temptation and
9. Make a study playlist
Listening to music can sometimes be helpful to keep on track. Try putting together a playlist with some of your favorite songs or with one genre that you love. Try to stick with mostly upbeat songs. Slow songs may just make you tired of slow you down.
10. Don’t forget, you’ll survive!
A few finals do not define you and determine your entire future. As always, try your best to study, take the test and everything will work out. Before you know it, finals will be over and then we will be home for the holidays. Good luck!