Ah yes. It’s that time of year. You can feel it in the air, the excitement for winter break, the hustle and bustle, the holiday cheer. But oh wait—first you have to get through finals. Not to worry. These tips will help you make it through the stressful week and well on your way homeward bound for winter break.
1) Plan Ahead
There’s nothing worse than feeling stressed out about having to cram at last minute. Plan out a study schedule ahead of time, and know your priorities. Finals week is already stressful, and the added stress that comes with cramming will only make things worse!
2)Take Frequent Breaks
Let’s face it, we don’t all have the best attention spans. In order to ensure that you’re retaining the information that you’ve been slaving away over, stop and take 5 to 10 minute breaks in between. Try to recall the key points from your reading. Take notes and re-copy your notes, having received the information more than once will pay off during the final!
3)Ice Cream
We all need a little happiness in our lives during this time, and we’ve earned it! Keep the freezer stocked with Ben & Jerry’s, those guys are great during stressful times. Ice cream not your thing? Any sort of sweet to cheer you up is much deserved.
4)(Try to) Get Enough Sleep
In high school, the night before I was supposed to take the ACT, I was so nervous that I couldn’t fall asleep… and then accidentally took a nap DURING the ACT. Don’t be that person! Your body needs sleep in order to concentrate during those final exams. When your head is bobbing and gravity seems to be pushing you down closer and closer to that textbook come 4 A.M., listen to your body and hit the sheets.
Following these simple steps should help you get through “Hell Week.” Always remember that there’s a light at the end of this long, seemingly never-ending, continuous (did I mention seemingly never-ending?) tunnel: winter break.