This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Montclair chapter.
With the end of the semester just around the corner, preparing for finals and completing the last of the semester’s assignments can be a stressful time for us collegiettes. It’s easy to get caught up in all the exciting parties and events going on, which will definitely affect your time-management in balancing school work and fun. Here’s a few tips on how to manage the last few weeks of the semester with as little stress as possible!
- Lists. Start off by making a list of all the final assignments you have to hand in for each class. List any projects, papers, or take home exams you have to work on outside of class. Organize these into a list by due date, that way you can visualize exactly when each assignment is due. By seeing this as a list or written down on your calendar, you’ll be able to see how much work you have each week and which assignment is a priority based on its’ due date.
- Get Started. Try to get started on as many of these assignments as soon as you can. It’s easy to procrastinate and put these off until the last week, or even the night before. We’ve all done that before! So rather than stressing out every night for the next two weeks over a paper, work on a few pages at a time, answer a few questions on that take home exam, or start prepping index cards for your big final. It takes a little time out of each day, but it will help you ease into each assignment with a huge weight off of your shoulders!
- Check Dates. After all the hard work you put into the semester since September, nothing could be worse than accidentally missing a final exam! Check out the Montclair State University exam schedule, that way you are prepared to study for each of your exams based on their date. The schedule can sometimes be a bit difficult to read so make sure to double check with your professors to verify they did not propose an alternate date for your final.
- Return Books. Once you’ve studied for your finals and as you begin to complete them, don’t forget to return any books you’ve rented throughout the semester! Whether you rented from the Montclair State University Bookstore or popular websites such as Chegg.com, be sure to check the dates you need to return your books by. With the high cost of text books, you don’t want to pay a ridiculous fee just because you forgot to return them!
- Sell Books. While you’re at the bookstore returning your books, try to sell back any text books as soon as possible. The bookstore only buys back a certain amount of each text (if they decide to buy it back at all). So if you wait until the last day when half your class already sold their books to the bookstore, you’ll be left with an unwanted text. Beat the rush and head to the bookstore early for the best chance to get some of your money back. Hint: The Montclair State University bookstore buys books back year-round, so don’t feel like you have to wait for exam week!
- Stay Healthy. Even with exams and papers flooding everyone’s calendars, partying still seems to be a priority to many students on campus. So if you’re going to make time to go out with your friends before you part for winter break, make sure to take care of your health as well. Get enough sleep when you can, have nutritious meals, and keep up on your daily vitamin supplements. At a time when you have to work your hardest, coming down with a cold can definitely make getting through the last two weeks a struggle. Keep healthy that way your body is at its best to take on the stress!
- Relax. While your studies are important at a time like this, if you’ve been making good grades throughout the semester, chances are you’re already ahead of the game and will do well. As stressful as this time is, somehow we get through it each year. It will be over soon so remember not to drive yourself crazy! Prioritize and stay focused and you’ll be able to get through the end of the semester a little smoother!
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