Final exams, every college student’s least two favorite words. It’s the end of the semester and everyone’s already thinking about summer plans, but the semester doesn’t slow down that easily. Final exams are the one roadblock keeping students from enjoying the end of the semester. And, you know what that means: late nights in the library and lots of coffee. While studying for final exams is important, self-care during finals week is even more important than studying for the actual exams. When your mind is clear and right, you will perform better on tests and not panic when the professor hands them out. Here’s a guide on how to balance studying and relaxing to guarantee a successful finals week.
1. Don’t Study for Hours on End.
The end of the semester usually means cramming to remember all the information the professor lectured on since January. Yikes, that seems like a long time ago. Trying to memorize and go back over so much material for multiple classes may seem impossible when looked at all at once but it is manageable. Break everything up into pieces. Make a schedule for yourself. Give yourself designated start and stop times with included breaks. You’ll feel good after accomplishing certain tasks and won’t feel too overloaded with work this way. Cramming only leads to sleepless nights and useless information
2. Clear Your Mind.
Remember those designated breaks we talked about? During those times is when you can take a step back from the work you’ve been focusing on and focus on you. Taking a walk or watching a funny TV show for an hour are perfect ways to unwind between study sessions. It’s better to take longer breaks away from work than stopping and checking your phone every 15-20 minutes. Your work will still be in front of you when you put the phone down and start studying again. The best way to clear your mind is to leave the area you were working and do a completely different task even if it’s minor. You’ll feel refreshed and ready to study again when you come back. Your mental health is far more important than your final exam grade.
3. Take Care of Yourself.
This seems like a fairly obvious point. Of course, everyone wants to shower, eat right, get enough exercise and get enough sleep, but during finals week is when college students are the busiest. Which means basic needs can get swept under the rug when studying for finals. Remember how we said to make a schedule earlier? That schedule should also include basic needs such as eating, sleeping, hygiene, etc. Taking care of yourself during finals will make you more alert and rested for when you study. Pulling all-nighters, drinking Starbucks and eating junk food will make you feel a whole lot worse than if you stopped for an hour to get real food and shower before studying again. Finals are important, but your well-being is even more important. Your grades will suffer even more if you don’t remember to tend to these basic needs.
Studying and taking care of yourself may seem impossible during finals week, but in reality, there is a balance between relaxing and working. Taking the time to unwind and de–stress between study sessions will make you feel better and help you perform better on your upcoming exams. So, do the most important thing: take care of yourself during finals week. You are far more important than a test.