This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Oxy chapter.
I know that the web is full of “finals tips” at this time of the semester, but I wanted to share my best tips too. I would like to start by saying that if you already feel stressed – even though finals are two weeks away – that’s totally normal! The end of the semester is the MOST stressful time of the year, and I have found that the final week or two before finals can actually be more stressful than the actual week of final exams. I have already started to prepare and plan for how I can avoid going crazy.
First, it’s super important to make sure that you stay healthy during the last few weeks of the semester. Imagine sniffling and coughing while you try to study, write papers, give presentations, and finally take exams. Make sure to take your vitamins (add in a little extra Vitamin C if you can) and eat your fruits and veggies. And most importantly – don’t forget to sleep! I know it’s hard to sleep when you feel like you have a million things to do but sleeping helps your body (and brain) to recharge – and you will feel so much better if you get 6-8 hours a night minimum.
Speaking of fruits and veggies, it’s also important to remember to eat – and eat well! I tend to either forget to eat, or eat nothing but junk when I’m stressed – and it makes me feel horrible. Allow yourself one or two treats per day but then remember to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, protein, and drink a ton of water!
Beyond sleeping, remember to give yourself study breaks. I try to make a finals “basket” for myself of treats and distractions, so that when I feel overwhelmed I can take an hour to myself to relax. I really love to craft – so my “basket” includes some quick crafts that I can take twenty-thirty minutes to complete. I get to relax, and then when I’m done, I feel like I’ve accomplished something other than just “taking a break.” While I craft, I like to turn on a TV show because I like to “multitask” during my breaks.
In a similar vein, on Grey’s Anatomy whenever Cristina and Meredith feel down, or stressed they have a short dance party. If you’re studying with your friends turn up the music and take two minutes to dance it out. You can do the same by yourself – but I like to save the music for the shower if I’m studying by myself. Again, I like to “multitask” during my breaks so showering and distressing with music at the same time works great for me. I get to do something that I need to do (shower) and relax at the same time.
My last tip is to make sure to laugh! Whether that means that you take a twenty minute break to hang out with friends, or make silly faces at yourself on your phone camera, it’s important to take time to remember that even though school and studying are serious things, life is also fun!
Good luck with the next few weeks everyone! You’ll be amazing!