We’re getting close to the end of the semester, but finals make summer feel like a distant dream. This is the time of year when I can think of a hundred things I’d rather be doing than studying. Its beautiful outside, I should not have to spend my whole weekend writing about American anti-Communism in the 1940’s, but here I am. Here are the tactics I use to make through the end without losing my mind.
1. Get enough sleep if at all possible. Sorry to be that person, but seriously. Do what you can do during the day without taking too many breaks or procrastinating, get eight hours of sleep. It’s amazing how productive you can be without compromising your health. A Psych 110 lesson: you’re brain can’t retain the information you stayed up all night learning if you don’t get any sleep.
2. Think of everything summer has to offer. It sucks not being able to go to end of the year parties or spend time with your friends during these last few weeks at Oxford (for us sophomores anyway). But it always helps me to think of it as a couple weeks of suffering in return for more than three months without school. Think about about your upcoming vacation and seeing high school friends.
3. Take a break now and then. It can help to simply walk around campus for twenty minutes to give your mind a break and refresh your brain for the rest of your study session.
4. Switch up your studying routine. When you’re completely starved of entertainment, changing the way you study can rejuvenate your mind and help you focus on the material. If you’ve spent all day studying by yourself, make a study group and talk through it. Try flow charts or quizlet.
5. Eat. Honestly the best coping mechanism for finals week. Remember to go to Lil’s. Reward yourself for all your hard work and order pizza or Alby’s. It’ll brighten your day just enough to keep you going.
Good luck to everyone!
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