It’s that dreaded time of the year again: finals week. You are surrounded by oceans of work with no end in sight. You feel like you simply don’t have enough hours in the day to get everything done. Did I mention you’re misty likely not sleeping? With these tips, you’ll be rocking finals week like a pro in the most bearable way possible.
1. Schedule, schedule, schedule.
Mark in your planner when each of your final exams and assignments are due. After that, lay out a game plan of when you’re getting what done. That way, you won’t find yourself with 10 assignments due the next day and no time to get it all done. Take it piece by piece, and start ahead of time.
2. Think about how you arrange your subjects.
When sitting down to study, start with the subject that’s the most difficult for you to get it out of the way, so that by the end you are reviewing material you are comfortable with. Also, never stay on a subject for more than 2 hours. Go work on something else for an hour or two and then come back to it.
3. Get to the library early.
During finals week the library is packed. Make sure to plan ahead of time to find a seat during a time that fits into your studying schedule. Also, go to the library at times when there are less people, like the early morning. Bring food with you so that you don’t have to give up your seat.
4. Eat healthy.
A lot of people find they don’t have enough time to go grab a healthy meal when studying for finals. Well, a cliff bar for dinner won’t cut it. Your brain works better when you have food in your system, and it gives you more energy too to get your work done. Make sure you are trying to eat as many fruits and veggies as possible!
5. Set aside break time.
Whether it be 10 minutes every hour, or an hour every 3 hours, make sure you give your brain a break. Breaks are important, so make sure to schedule them in any way that works for you. It’s good for your sanity and your productivity.
6. Stay away from social media.
The last thing you need is more reasons to procrastinate. Delete your social media apps off of your phone for the week, or temporarily deactivate your accounts. At the very least, turn off your phone while studying. You will thank yourself the night before a big exam.
7. Make sure to get a good night’s sleep.
Many of us are guilty of staying up until 3 am to finish an assignment, or even worse, pulling an all-nighter. This is not good for you… your brain functions so much better when you have a good night sleep! You probably will do better on your exam if you get some sleep rather than extra study time.
Photo Credits: 1