As a high schooler, every December I would get tons of videos on my TikTok’s “For You Page” of college students talking about how difficult it is to stay motivated during finals week. After taking finals every year in high school, I thought that was the worst it could get… As a freshman in college now, I can see how wrong I was.
Not only were classes (usually) much easier, but there weren’t as many other factors making it hard to keep working! It takes a lot more to do well, and with that, it takes a lot more to be in the mindset to do so. Here are some of my tips to get motivated for finals week.
Start your day early
I am 100% the type of person who would rather stay up until two a.m. and then sleep until 12 p.m.; however, waking up early and getting a start on your day will force you to be so much more awake. I tried this for the first time very recently, and only because I started working a job that requires me to wake up before six a.m. I dread the morning every night, but every day I wake up early, I am so much more productive.
Since I am already up early, I am already awake to go to my classes, a struggle I have every day before having to wake up early. Getting to class as a college student who lives in the furthest possible dorm with no car is a struggle. Especially in the freezing, rainy weather we at UIUC have been experiencing recently. I would much rather stay in bed all day and Netflix, and some days I do, but starting my day earlier has helped me to do this far less.
Do something for yourself
Whether this be stopping at Starbucks and getting a coffee, or wearing an outfit that makes you feel good… Do something for yourself! What I have found from trying out many different strategies to see under what circumstances I am the most productive is that I work best in a good mood.
In addition to this, it is so important to find time for yourself aside from studying. I know finals are important, and I am also extremely stressed about them… But only focusing on academic stressors is no way to live. Make time during the week to engage in activities that you enjoy. For me, these are going to the gym, reading and writing, and to ensure I have the time to do these things, I’ve blocked off times to do them! It is as simple as that.
Finals week is hard, I definitely get that now, but there are ways to make it feel less stressful, and make you feel more motivated.