It’s officially that time – finals are next week, and no one’s ready for it! We all have that moment where it hits you, and you realize how badly you need to study. While you’re cramming to recall content from the beginning of the semester while still learning new things, make sure you’re not overwhelming yourself. Here are some tips on how to take care of yourself while getting that studying in.
Give yourself study breaks.
We all want to get as much studying in as possible, but it’s not good for your brain to stare at words for hours on end. Your mind needs time to soak in knowledge as well as to store it, so don’t force it to take in too much at once! Make sure you set an alarm, though – we’ve all taken a “quick” break that ended up lasting for hours. Give yourself 15 to 20 minutes to relax, and take this time to pay attention to your body. Are you hungry? Thirsty? Have a headache? Give yourself whatever supplements you need. So go ahead and have a snack, drink some water, and do something enjoyable that doesn’t take up too much time. One of my favorites is to watch a funny YouTube video. Do whatever makes you feel better and gives your brain a quick break, then get back to studying!
Make sure you’re sleeping.
I know that we all get too stressed with work and studying to try to get eight hours of sleep every night, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get any sleep! Use one of your study breaks to take a quick nap. Don’t let yourself sleep for hours because you’ll be groggy after, but psychological studies show that a 20 minute nap is more beneficial for staying awake than a large cup of coffee! That doesn’t mean you can’t drink any coffee, though (I couldn’t survive without coffee, especially during finals week!). Just make sure that you’re not solely running on coffee. Sleep is healthier for you and more energizing.
Motivate yourself.
The best way to keep yourself going during finals week is to motivate yourself! I keep telling myself that it’s only two more weeks, and then I’m home for a whole month. That’s not always enough to motivate everyone, though. Some things that I like to do when I’m feeling unmotivated is buying myself something online (another activity for one of your study breaks!). If you order yourself something small, not only does it cheer you up, but you know that you’ll get it after finals and it’ll be like rewarding yourself. You’ll also feel better after the semester is over if you know that you did your best on your finals and worked hard to study, so don’t let yourself fall behind because you’re unmotivated.
Take care of yourself.
This may seem like I’m reiterating what’s been combined above, but it is so important to make sure you’re being kind to your body and your mind. Drink lots of water, always. It’s refreshing and it’s always good for you. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, like I said above, and make sure that you’re eating healthy! Have lots of green food and other veggies and fruits. They’ll energize you both physically and mentally, and it feels good to be healthy! That doesn’t mean you can’t have anything unhealthy; I wouldn’t last a day without chocolate. Try to avoid extremely greasy foods though, and make sure you’re not only eating pizza or Chinese food every night. Eat something good for you, and make sure you’re eating on a good schedule! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially on finals week. If you have an 8am final, try to eat something in the morning, even if it’s just an apple or a granola bar. It gets your body and your day off to a good start!
Stay motivated, friends! Keep taking care of yourselves, and all the best of luck to you with finals!
HCXO, Lola
*All images courtesy of Pinterest