1. Be prepared! We all know the feeling of spending all day and night in the stacks (or the second floor of the UGLI if we’re being honest) cramming for the Econ 101 exam. After studying for what feels like hours, but what was probably only 20 minutes, the snacks at Bert’s Café start sounding pretty yummy. You start visualizing the endless supply of candy bars, gummy worms, and sodas just a floor below you. You rationalize that this is a good choice because you could use Blue Bucks instead of cold hard cash. But after your 2a.m. sugar rush wears off and your tummy ache sets in, I bet you wish you had come prepared with a healthier snack to keep you going through the night. Therefore, the moral of the story is to come prepared and do not show up to the library empty handed. Some good snacks include apples and almond butter, Greek yogurt and granola, kale ships, and string cheese.
2. Do not let coffee control you. Coffee itself is a healthy option, but mixed with chocolate drizzles, whipped cream, sugar, and whole milk that low-calorie drink just turned into a Starbucks diet disaster. Instead of ordering the Oreo Blast! to satisfy your fix at the UGLI, try to stick with the plain stuff or try tea! Tea has basically the same amount of caffeine as coffee and tastes great even without a bunch of additives.
3. Take an exercise break, not a Facebook break. It’s tempting to take off an hour of studying to watch a television show or to play a game of 2048 on the computer, but it’s not very efficient. Instead of spending your time logged in, try doing something that gets your heart pumping whether it be a quick jog around campus or a high intensity work out class. Not only will it help you distress, but it’ll also keep you from being too antsy during your next round of studying. BONUS: you could always watch your favorite show on Netflix while running on the elliptical!
4. Get some sleep! Our brains are not meant to work off three hours of sleep, so staying up until 6a.m. studying might not be the best idea. Our brains need time to process all of the information we take in and that cannot happen if we don’t get any sleep. Plus there is no way you can wake up and study more or take an exam if you did not sleep the night before. So skip the 4a.m. coffee and hit the hay so you avoid falling asleep during your Calculus exam.
Good luck on finals everyone!