It’s that time of year again when the library is packed and you can feel the anxiety is in the air. Finals can feel really overwhelming, but take a study break and read about the 7 things you need to make it through this week!
1. Coffee
Coffee is an essential for finals time. Whether you drink it black or with a ton of cream and sugar in it (like me), you already know that the drink will give you that last bit of energy to go over those Spanish review terms again. I think Lorelai Gilmore said it best: ”I need coffee in an IV.”
2. Scantrons
I was in a history class last year where the teacher said from the very first day of class that we would need to buy a scantron for the final exam. The professor reminded us periodically throughout the semester to buy the scantrons as soon as possible. And on the day of the final, there was still one guy who forgot a scantron and had to run across campus to the bookstore. Don’t be that guy.
3. A Hobby
Exams are a time of stress for everybody, but it’s not healthy to study for all hours of the day. Your body was built to take breaks. You need something to split up the time between finishing up that essay and practicing for that oral exam. Also, the longer you study without a break, the less information you retain.
4. Music
One of the hardest things you can struggle with during finals is finding a space of your own to study. It’s the one time of year the library is always full, and the small study spaces at apartments are always full. Even though you can’t change your environment, you can change how you focus. Put in headphones to drown out noise, but the key is to not play the songs you listen to on a routine basis. There’s a playlist on Spotify titled “Intense Studying” that only plays classical music. When reviewing your notes, you need soothing background noise, not that catchy pop song everyone has been raving about.
5. Motivation
This is hard for everyone to find right now. You’re so close to bathing suits and salty air, but there are a few days of intense studying standing in the way. You don’t need to hear finals are important, but it’s around this time where everyone is burned out by the semester. It’s important to notice when you feel like you’re in a rut, because that’s something you can easily control. Changing your study habits, whether it’s studying in the park or drafting someone else to study with you, a little change goes a long way.
6. A Clean Space
When you have five finals in four days, the last thing you want to think about is cleaning. But as you sit down at your desk, seeing the overflowing workload can be overwhelming. When you can’t find those obscure notes from two months ago, but your psychology flashcards keep getting in the way, you might want to think about taking a break and tidying up. A clutter-free desk can translate into a clutter-free mind as you dive into your studies.
7. A Support System
It’s understood that people have breakdowns during finals week. It can be really hard to handle the pressure to get everything right. In the moments that you feel like you’ll never see the end of your to-do list, you need to step away from your desk and take a break. Call or text someone you trust to get your mind off homework for a little while. It’s always nice to feel like in a time of stress, someone else will be there.