Ah yes, the infamous finals week. It’s easily the most dreaded time of the semester for college students. It’s so difficult to manage that UH brings in therapy dogs and has a massage therapy room set up as part of its “Cram Jam” end of semester events. I’m definitely not exempt from finals week stressors, so let me share what I use to cope during this time of year.
First of all, time management in studying is key. Some people are most productive at different times, and that’s okay! If you are more productive in the middle of the day, set aside a dedicated time block to studying as much as you can during that block. I’m personally the most productive in the evenings, so I’ve been setting aside time after dinner to hit the books.
Secondly, taking mental health breaks is an essential part of avoiding the snowball effect of various stressors. I like to take five minutes to listen to something calming to help recharge. Songs by Fleetwood Mac and Hozier, in my experience, tend to do the trick! There’s nothing like Stevie Nicks’s vocals to take away anxiety.
Another tip I use for limiting finals burnout is by reviewing past tests and/or lecture slides for my study materials. Professors tend to use similar question and answer forms on the final as they use on other tests. Sometimes they copy questions and answers verbatim from past quizzes/exams. Going over feedback from past tests can help me review the content (and the style of questions that will be on the exam) in an efficient way that doesn’t make me want to rip my hair out. If test feedback isn’t an option, going over past lecture slides is great to review condensed versions of the content. Why go overkill on content you’ve already learned?
My last, and most important, tip is this: believe in yourself. Our mindsets can be a huge game-changer. Losing confidence can cause you to give up, leading you to not perform well. With that aside, it’s also important to stay confident in your abilities. You’ve gotten through the semester so far. What’s one more week? Good luck and happy studying.