It’s coming. That terrible unmentionable, awful, sleep-deprived time know as finals. You’ve known all semester that you should have been staying on top of your reading, studying, and not putting off the research for your final papers. But ,then Netflix called your name. It whispered sweet promises of happy 40-minute commercial-free episodes and you just couldn’t resist.
It’s okay, we’re all guilty. I’ve been bingeing on Chuck all break, trying vainly to ignore the fact that all my papers are due on a day that shall not be named. Enjoy your time off while you can, but do yourself a few favors as finals approach. Here’s some tried and true advice for (mostly) surviving finals.
1. Sleep:
“Sleep?” you gwaff, sleep is for the weak.” I have uttered such sentiments many, many times. I usually follow such a statement up with, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead, or at least when finals are over.” But you and I both know that it’s almost impossible to keep soldiering on when the tank is empty.
Do yourself a favor, know when to give up the ship, and get some sleep. If it’s 4am and you’re still studying, it’s time to go to bed. Your body needs to reset itself so you can actually remember those bajillion formulas you decided to cram into your brain. Don’t pull any true all-nighters, you’ll regret it for the rest of the week and there’s no time to catch up midweek.
2. Eat healthy:
I’m super guilty of ignoring this rule. Usually, my approach to finals is: a tube of cookie dough from the Huddle, a bag of my favorite Haribo gummy bears, endlessly refilling my Nalgene, whatever food I can obtain in 15 minutes or less, and too much caffeine. Inevitably, I end the week feeling slightly sick, having gained 3 pounds, and facing a period of decaffeination.
Do your body a favor: get some carrots or celery to nom on when you feel like decapitating something. Try to moderate your caffeine consumption (there may be such a thing as too much Starbucks). Tea is a great alternative to coffee. It still has caffeine, but not in such jittery quantities. Also, try to eat real food. Keep the fast-food to a minimum. There’s no shame in raiding the dining hall for fruit. Lastly, don’t forget to hydrate, you’ll feel better overall.
3. Pace yourself:
Finals are rarely a sprint, they’re usually a marathon. Whether you have 60 pages due in one day (SOB!) or a final a day Monday through Friday, it’s key that you balance your workload and studying. Try to do as much as you can ahead, to take a little pressure off the immediate days surrounding your final papers and exams.
My usual strategy is to pick a drop date after which I do not do anymore of my class homework and switch into finals mode. Part of me feels a little guilty, but the extra hour or two of sleep a night is worth it. Figure out what you NEED to do for the rest of the semester and skimp on the rest. Getting a little finals work in during the last two weeks of classes will be a big help when you have to crank out papers or memorize the entire book for Orgo.
Pro tip: Make an ultimate To-Do List, crossing everything off, no matter how small, will feel great!
4. Be a good roommate:
Be good to your roommate or roommates. While it’s not going to get you a better grade, it’ll make the end of the semester just a little bit more bearable. Try to keep your mess in your own space. Everyone is guilty of accruing a stack of dirty clothes, textbooks and library books, unopened mail, notes, and empty coffee cups. Just try to keep it from ruining your roommates zen.
Good luck post-its on the fridge or the mirror before a big exam can be a great way to start the day. Be supportive and remember that your roommates are just as busy as you are. For bonus karma, if you’re the first one to finish your exams and papers, start cleaning and shutting down your room or apartment. Your roomie will thank you and you may get to share a celebratory bottle of wine while packing as a result.
5. Take breaks:
You may have finals tunnel vision, be slap happy from too much caffeine and too little sleep, have a terrifying countdown with an hourly breakdown of all you have left to do, or an alarm that is only three hours away from going off.
Whatever your state of sleep deprivation, desperation, despair, determination, or unexplainable euphoria, make sure you take a few breaks. Instead of panicking that the Starbucks line is 20 minutes long and mumbling formulas to yourself, enjoy the sensory experience surrounding you.
Breathe in the smell of dark roast coffee wafting through the door, and appreciate the garlands and lights wrapped around banners. Jam out to “All I Want for Christmas is You” on repeat. Or, talk to the people around you in line. Smile at the baristas, the cashiers, your RAs, and your friends as you pass them. Ask how people are doing and offer words of encouragement. Go for a run, if you’re feeling stressed. Or, take a walk around the lakes or across campus and bask in the beautiful place we call home.
Keep calm and study on. You’ve got this! Go Irish, beat finals!
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