Somehow, we have reached the end of April. Honestly, I don’t know how it happened. This school year seemed to fly by, and the end of spring semester came before I had a chance to even realize it. We are one step closer to summer, but before we can relax, we have to survive finals. Ah yes, that dreaded week that all of us wish would disappear. As a junior, I have been through the phenomenon of finals week several times now, and through it all I have learned a few tips and tricks that makes the exams a little less stressful.
One thing that I always try to do as finals week approaches, is take a minute to breathe. It is very easy to stress yourself out over finals. Trust me, I’ve done it. Freshman year was hard for me because I viewed finals as the make or break to my academic career. Doing this put a lot of unneeded stress on me that just ended up with me partaking in unhealthy study patterns. Yes, finals are very important. However, I can assure you that whatever happens on those exams will not end your life. All you can ask of yourself is to do everything you can. Study hard and it will pay off.
With that being said, having a schedule and plan always helps. The one great thing about finals week is that classes are over. This means that your days are free from lectures and classes, making it a lot easier to take time to study. If you get lucky, your finals will be spaced out and not on the same day. Some aren’t as lucky though. If you end up having multiple exams on the same day or close together, make a plan to study each topic. For example, I might dedicate half of my day to studying for the first exam and the other half to studying for the second exam. Making a game plan for finals week is always beneficial!
Lastly, I would definitely recommend using your resources to your advantage. Join the study groups. Go to the review sessions. I am not going to lie and say that these will always be helpful, because I have been to some that aren’t the most useful. But they can only help! I also find that around finals time, the class group chats become very active. I have been in some that people will schedule study groups with each other, send study guides, and help answer questions that other classmates might ask. Being involved in these groups are always great, because it not only can help you study but also show you how the rest of the class is feeling going into the final.
I know final exams can be scary and stressful but remember to keep your head up. Everything works out at the end of the day, and all you can do is try your best! Good luck!!