Are you drowning in a ton of assignments, exams, cases, presentations? ‘Cause sameee. However, in this article, I have compiled a list of tips on how to survive finals week. I keep telling myself I only have one week left (JUST ONE!), and I will be done with this semester. Luckily, I only have one semester left until I graduate, and let me tell you all, I am so ready. It is an overwhelming week for all of us, but don’t forget to take care of yourself. Remember to study hard and most importantly don’t forget that you got this!
1. Know your finals schedule
The first thing you should do is check your syllabus and make sure you know your exam time, day, and room. By doing this, you can study more efficiently and know what exams you need to focus on first. It is also crucial to know this information, so you don’t miss your exam or go to the wrong room on the day of the exam. If you have too many exams on the same day, you can reach out to your professors to reschedule.
2. Make a study schedule
Create a study plan to help you avoid cramming and panicking the night before an exam. I always set up my study schedule by writing down the exam dates and ordering which subject to study first. I also look at what my grades are in each class and dedicate my studying to the ones I am struggling with more. It proves to be more beneficial to break up your studying into multiple shorter studying sessions, which can help improve retention.
3. Find a study place (steer clear of distractions!)
I prefer to study in my room these days because it is quiet and I can put on my noise-canceling headphones, listen to music, and sit on my bed while I study. In the past, I spent many hours studying in the library. It was where I studied efficiently, and it was free of distractions. On top of that, Starbucks (which accepted meal plans) was conveniently located in the library, so I could use my meal plan and get my daily dose of caffeine. Whatever place you prefer to study, go to that place, sit down and make sure to focus and stay on top of assignments and studying.
4. Don’t forget to eat right
Due to the stress of finals, we may forget to take care of our bodies and eat right. However, to study effectively make sure to eat meals and healthy snacks to help fuel you and keep you energized.
5. Sleep
Another important activity we may forget to do during finals week is to get our 8 hours of sleep in. Some people can function on 3 hours of sleep, but most of us need more. Missing a night of sleep can have adverse effects on your memory and logical reasoning skills. To conclude, a good night’s sleep will help you study better.
6. Make study groups
Study groups or partners are an effective way to study and test your knowledge. However, if you prefer studying alone that is okay too. I used to prefer studying alone because I tend to get distracted easily. However, I do not mind studying with another person and running through problems and reteaching them because it helps me memorize and retain information better.
7. Reach out to professors
If you are struggling in a particular subject do not be afraid to reach out to your professors and go to their office hours for extra help. I always attend the office hours in a class I am struggling in and the teacher does not mind helping me until I understand the concepts. They are pleased when you put in that extra effort and seek help to better understand the material.
8. Take study breaks
Studying non-stop is actually inefficient. After a long period of studying, your concentration will be broken and the material will not be retained well. For example, a website I read through stated that one hour of solid study time is not as useful as 3 study times of 20 minutes with 5 minute breaks in between. During your breaks you can get a quick snack, exercise, rest, meditate, and take your mind off studying for a bit.
Let’s be real though, this meme probably describes all of us right now *sigh*
Works Cited:
Speedyprep. “10 Little Known Ways to Survive Finals Week.” SpeedyPrep, 4 Dec. 2013, https://speedyprep.com/10-little-known-ways-survive-finals-week/.
“13 Tips for Surviving Finals Week in College.” BestColleges.com, 6 Dec. 2021, https://www.bestcolleges.com/blog/college-finals-week-tips/.
Walsh, Jaclyn. “7 Tips for Surviving Finals Week from the Pros: Study Tips.” Peterson’s, Peterson’s, 28 Jan. 2020, https://www.petersons.com/blog/7-tips-for-surviving-finals-week-straight-from-the-pros/.