Once again, we find ourselves at the end of the semester, which means beautiful weather, reunions with our families and friends at home, and summer! But first, finals. Not quite as exciting. I’m sure plenty of you, like me, are starting to get a little (or a lot) worried about exam week. But never fear: I am here to console you. We got this, ‘Cats. Here are five tips to survive the next week of hell.
1. Stock up on snacks. Personally, I find high-quality snacking one of the most important aspects of finals preparation. Make a quick run to the Teeter, use up your Dining Dollars at Union Station, or even grab some of your friends for the all-important Walmart quest. I recommend getting both salty and sweet snacks, just in case, and feel free to get a lot. You’ll need it.
2. Figure out your schedule. Sometimes I use this tactic to procrastinate actually studying – killing two birds with one stone! But it really does help to know when your final papers are due, how much studying you’ll have to get done before you take your self-scheduleds, and how many days you have before your flight/drive home. I recommend making lists. Keeps things organized.
(Here’s hoping your to-do list isn’t quite this long.)
3. Sleep! I know we tend not to prioritize sleep during exam week, but honestly, you’ll feel better getting a full night’s rest rather than trying to cram in some more studying in the last few hours before your exam. Study, by all means, but don’t forget to take care of yourself. And eat full meals, too, while we’re at it.
4. Try to fit in some pre-summer relaxation with your friends. We’re all grossly busy, but this will probably be the last week you’ll be able to see some of your friends until the fall. Plus, the iPhone weather app says it’s going to be over 80 every day this week. Lake Campus may be calling your name for a study break.
5. Don’t panic. This is general good advice for the Davidson populace (which next to nobody takes to heart, because we’re all anxiety-ridden perfectionists), but it bears repeating: Grades Aren’t Everything. Finals are stressful, and obviously we all want to do well, but you can only study so much. Do your best, but be kind to yourself. Take it easy. Get your work done, and then relax. It’s almost summer. There will be puppies here on Reading Day, and tons of free food. It’s all gonna be okay. We’re all in this together.