Whenever finals come around, so does the stress. And you know what? That’s fine. Because that means you care how you’re going to perform. The challenge is making the sure that there’s just enough stress to get motivated without getting overwhelmed. At this point, all you can do is think about what you can control, and let everything else go. With this in mind, consider the following:
1. Know exactly where you stand in each class before you head into finals.
If you have your syllabi and know your grades, there should be no reason you don’t have at least some clue about what your overall standing is. But if you really don’t know or you’re unsure, check in with your professor ASAP. They may not be comfortable or able to give you an approximate pre-final grade, but they can at least let you know if you’re in trouble.
2. Think about which classes need the most work—and therefore the most time.
We often tend to put off studying for the classes that need the most work because they’re generally the harder ones. Well, guess what? That’s why they need more time. So try to structure your study schedule to set aside the most time for the classes that need the most work, and then modify the study time for your other classes accordingly.
3. Know how you study well.
One friend may take breaks all the time. Another friend may work straight through the night. One friend may study best alone. Another friend may always need a friend (or two or three or ten) to study with. One friend may prefer mornings. Another friend may prefer nights. One friend may want silence. Another friend may enjoy the coffee house buzz. My recommendation is to think about when, where, and how you’re the most functional and productive—and do what works for you.
4. Whatever you do, make sure you’re well-rested heading into finals.
Allnighters almost never make sense, so don’t do them. This is the one explicit recommendation I’ll make. The brain needs time to rest and consolidate information. Your body needs time to rest and break down toxins. You don’t want to fall asleep studying. You certainly don’t want to fall asleep during your exam. You certainly don’t want to fall asleep and risk missing your exam. So do yourself a really big favor. Study until you’re tired. Go to bed. Wake up. Study some more. Get to your exam. Take your exam. Be done with it.
5. Do your best, because that’s the best you can do.
Focus on doing your best work in the time frame given. At this point, you’re not necessarily going to learn new information, so what you know is what you know. If you haven’t picked concepts up by this point in the semester, you should be realistic about what you can recall and apply on the exam. Simply do your best and the chips will fall where they may.
Don’t forget to take breaks while you’re studying. Don’t forget to eat, sleep, and exercise. Don’t forget to be a regular person. Finals don’t come around that often, but that doesn’t mean they need to completely consume you. They’re challenging—just like so many other things in life—but tackle them as you would anything else. Focus, commit, and get them done. After they’re over, celebrate in a way that allows you to reward yourself for the effort you’ve put in. You’ll deserve it. (Do what you can to make sure of that.)
Image credits: Pexels.com