We are getting closer and closer to finals week. Professors are packing in the last few units and exams, and the workload is getting more intense. As finals week is approaching and we are juggling both new content from the last few chapters with preparation for final exams, it can get incredibly difficult to tackle so much at once. Here are my tips for hopefully making this time a little bit easier.
1. Get Inspo and Start now
The best way to make it easier on yourself is to begin now! For all of the following tips I have, I would suggest that you begin as soon as possible so that you aren’t cramming at the last minute. I get it — I procrastinate sometimes, too —but I promise you will feel so much more prepared and so much less stressed if you avoid putting off your responsibilities; procrastination won’t do anything other than make you more stressed when it comes time to actually complete your work. You may even find that doing tasks as soon as you can gives you more free time to do the stuff that you actually want to do because you have a planned out and structured day with designated time for all tasks. My best tip to avoid procrastination is to find some study inspo on Instagram, YouTube, or other social media platforms. My favorite account for that is Ruby Granger, an English college student studying literature. Her videos are so peaceful, and her drive and love for learning are super motivating. Finding inspiration romanticizes your work and tricks your brain into thinking it’s fun!
2. Use a planner to layout assignments
If you haven’t already done this at the beginning of the semester, I suggest finding your class syllabi and planning out the entire month of November. You should have a decent idea by now of what is due every week and when your finals are. When adding your classwork to a planner, you should write down everything; this includes all assignments, quizzes, meetings, deadlines, and papers. This way, you can see physically everything that you need to complete, and you are not only saving time by preventing yourself from having to check each class for assignments but also saving points by preventing yourself from accidentally missing that easy five point assignment because you forgot to write it down. This also helps if you are adding working a part-time job in the mix! It can be really difficult to balance several responsibilities, but having each assignment and “task” scheduled like a work shift or meeting gives you a good starting point.
3. Triage your work
This is a concept that I wish I would have learned earlier, and Darria Long covers this in more detail in her TED Talk. Treat your work as an emergency room at a hospital. Give each task during your week a label, either “dead,” immediate, delayed, or minor.
- Dead is something we want to try and avoid, but this would apply to tasks that are overdue or something that you need to sacrifice in order to prioritize something else, such as a coffee date that interferes with a study session, or other commitments that may not fit.
- Immediate is applied to tasks that are either due that day or soon, or something that you know you won’t have time for later on.
- Delayed could be a task that is due later in the week, or is not AS urgent as something else like an exam.
- Minor would be a task that could be done the following week, such as something due at the end of the month, a final project, etc. This takes practice but is something that can really help during the final stretch of exams.
4. Time block your schedule
Time blocking is so helpful when you do it correctly and consistently. Google Calendar is my calendar of choice, but you could do this with a paper calendar as well! To do this, pull up your calendar for the week. On each day and for each task, physically color in a block of time for each. This allows you to see a physically blocked-out time period for each task, and ensures that you are spending an adequate amount of time on each so that you can fit in the tasks that you need to do during your day! Plus, it makes your calendar super colorful and allows you to visualize the time that you DO have and when you can fit in the fun stuff as well.
5. Practice self-care
Most importantly, fill your month of November with self-care. End your studying a little earlier to take a bubble bath, watch your favorite show, or do a face mask. Here are some of my favorite forms of self-care:
- Taking a hot shower and doing a hair mask
- Painting my nails
- Face masks
- Cooking myself dinner and watching my favorite movie
- Game night-in with roommates
- Make cocktails/mocktails and start a new Netflix series
- Reading
- Going for a walk
- Blocking out an hour to buy myself a coffee
You can even practice self-care while working; light some candles and play music to make it a little more enjoyable. These little moments during and away from your work are so important to keep your motivation and avoid the burnout that is all too common!
We can all agree that the final month of the semester takes a toll on all of us and can get so overwhelming if we don’t stay in control. Try these five tips now so that you can stay on top of your work and feel confident and prepared as we go into final exams!