We are getting to that time of year… we are almost at the end of the road. Finals! The word itself is scary. After a year of zoom classes, quarantining, COVID scares, scary news stories, and new experiences it is hard to motivate ourselves down to the wire. Finals, especially being online, can be extremely hard to motivate ourselves for. I know I am finding myself lacking motivation and just wanting to be done with all the work. Yet, we are only a couple of steps away from the finish line. As it is time to get ahead, what can we do to make sure we stay ahead of the game?
1. GET GOOD SLEEP
We cannot stay on our A-game for finals without sleep. To be successful we need to have a good night’s sleep and rest our minds and bodies so we can focus on studying. Sleep is also proven to help with memory consolidating ideas learned throughout the day. We sometimes put sleep on the back burner and forget how essential it is to our success.
2. Create a study schedule
It has been proven that people are more likely to be successful if they study for bits at a time rather than cram everything together. It allows your brain to process and make sense of all the information you are learning. Especially in the COVID times, many professors are switching to final projects and final papers. Having a schedule helps you keep on top of all those projects so you do not quickly fall behind and end up scrambling at the end.
3. Give yourself sufficient breaks
Get outside, go for a walk, exercise, eat some good food, hang out with friends, or anything else that will give you a good break. Our brains cannot be on at all times to process information at all times, it needs to be rejuvenated. We deserve rewards after working hard on something for so long.
4. Have a study buddy
Have someone you can lean on and do your work with you. It is nice to have someone to keep us in check and hold us accountable. If they are studying, you can study. Then you both can end up taking breaks together. It will help you feel less alone and like you are on a studying mission with someone.
5. Remind yourself of the reward you feel after
Sometimes we are looking for the immediate reward of hanging out with friends or watching TV. We forget about the long-term rewards of good grades and a good work ethic. Doing the little things now will help you a significant amount later in life. Remember that the work now is not just going to help you at the moment but with life in the future.