As we countdown the hours left in the semester and pack our bags to head home for the holidays we have one, last, final hurdle: finals. And so, in the eternal words of the one-hit-wonder band Europe; it’s the final countdown. Da da da, da da da da, da da da, da da da da da da…. (you know the rest)
5. Drink Plenty of Fluids!
How many times have you heard this… Are you sick? Drink more fluids. Are you tired? Drink more fluids. Are you sad? Drink more fluids. Are you hungry? Drink more–wait… You get the idea; say it with me! Drink more _____. No boil order exceptions here! One of the quickest ways to tire out is to be dehydrated. So before jetting off to your sacred place of study, be sure to grab your fave bottle and fill ‘er up!
4. Take Plenty of Breaks
My favorite part of studying is breaktime (obviously). Use a reward system of one hour of studying to one ten minute YouTube video or ten minute dance session. If I find myself in a slump the easiest way for me to get out of it is through laughter. Thus, my breaktime video of choice is always a blooper reel. What better way to laugh away the stress than with my best pals Leslie Knope and Blair Waldorf? Just remember to not get sucked into the swirling pit of internet laughs. In moderation, this can be a great study tool. Treat yo‘self!
3. Find a Study Place
Don’t think of studying for finals as something of a drag. Instead think of it as being one step closer to graduation (wait, is that a GOOD thing?), or one step closer to Christmas Break! So, pick out a place that suits you, whether you prefer the silent third floor of Roy, the always interesting ‘Bum Alley’ in the GCPA, the Julian Atrium, the Pulliam Center, or, my personal favorite, the loft at Eli’s. Wherever you study best!
2. Snack up!
As convenient as it is to skip a meal, it can also lead to illness, and the last thing you want is to be sick and miss an exam after studying for three days straight. Grab your pals and head to Walmart or Kroger to stock up on these snack break essentials; granola bars, pretzels, nutella, popcorn, almonds, apples, peanut butter, trail mix, you name it! AKA: Brain food! Also quit skipping breakfast – it’s not a good look.
1. Sleep
Sleep is NOT for the weak. Studies show that when students pull all nighters cramming for exams or writing papers they do not perform as well as getting a good recharge of them batteries. If I want to drive home, my car cannot be on E. That will get me nowhere. Likewise, if you want an A, the old noggin can’t be running on empty. So put the book down and crawl into bed. You can thank me later.