It’s that time of the semester again. For most schools, finals week is hard. For CMU, it’s actually hell. Yes, academics are extremely important. We are in college to prepare ourselves for our future and for career paths. However, this finals week, be sure to do these five following things to keep your sanity:
1. Take breaks often: Everyone needs a study break. You may think plowing through all your work will help you catch a deadline. However, that is not the case. You need a break to refresh your mind so it can focus when you come back to studying. Don’t abuse your study breaks by being less productive than you know you are capable of; just be sure to let your eyes and your brain rest every now and then.
2. Caffeine: Sugar is not the answer! Don’t load up on sugar to try and stay awake. There is no way to avoid the crash. I’ve come to realize that avoiding caffeine is a lost cause at CMU. Although it’s not good to be chugging cappuccinos and lattes every other hour, it does help to get a double shot of espresso in your drink if you need that extra push to finish studying.
3. Eat a healthy diet: You need energy during Hell Week. No, that does not mean loading up on energy drinks or power protein bars. That means eating real and nutritious meals every day three times a day. No junk food late at night, no snacking to replace a meal. These foods will make you lazy and drowsy. Keep hydrated. Your mind can’t perform at its best if the body it is in needs attention and care constantly.
4. Leave time to do something you love: It’s tempting to do nothing but study for a week straight. Unfortunately, doing that will only make you more frustrated and stressed out. Carve out at least half an hour to dive into something you love, something that makes you happy. This way, your mood and energy will be boosted when you return to studying.
5. Sleep: Contrary to what you may think, you WILL do better if you just get at least some sleep before a final. Sure, you can stay up all night studying the material. Chances are you will forget that once the drowsiness hits you during the exam. Throughout the school year, I have somehow pulled all nighters before every single calculus exam. While I knew the material when I finished, no matter how much caffeine I had the quiet and warm environment of the lecture halls made me doze off repeatedly. Worst of all, I would make the most careless mistakes and not catch them as my brain slowly fell asleep. It is better to make educated guesses on at least five to 6 hours of sleep than to go in after cramming all night.
Study hard now. Play harder in two weeks. Good luck, Tartans!