This school year has been…weird. Despite having about seven weeks of classes I haven’t stepped foot in a classroom. Instead, I’ve been in my bedroom doing classwork in my slippers. The school year is almost done but the hardest part of the year–finals week–is just beginning. Finals are already stressful but adding a pandemic, a completely virtual class, and the already preexisting stress is a nightmare. Here are a few tips to not lose your mind during finals week.
- Have a Designated Study Space
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Very early in the pandemic, I realized that doing homework in bed is a no-no. Instead, when I have classwork I can only work at my desk. This not only helps with productivity but it helps you relax too. Having my bed be a “no work” zone really helps me relax when it is time to sleep.
- Use the Pomodoro Method
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It’s really easy to feel burnt out during finals week. But, thanks to the unending workload it’s hard to justify a break. Using the Pomodoro method helps out a lot. You work for twenty-five minutes without distraction, take a five-minute break, and repeat four times. Then you take a fifteen-minute break. I rarely make it to the fifteen-minute break because I always finish my task earlier. You might think that the break system is counterproductive but it actually helps you concentrate because you feel like you have to “earn” your break.
- Do Virtual Study Sessions
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I miss working on assignments with friends. Working in the library gave me a sense of commodity. Now, it’s easy to feel like I’m the only student in the world. Although it’s a little awkward having virtual study sessions at first once you get into it it’s really nice.
- Make your own Study Guide
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I’ve been doing this for years now. The best way to study for a test is to anticipate what the teacher is going to ask. At the end of the year, I go through all of my notes and organize the information to see what’s important. It takes a little bit of time but, once you are organized studying is so much easier.
- Take Breaks
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Giving your all doesn’t mean running yourself ragged. Stress is exhausting. Studying is exhausting. You deserve to take a break.
- Create a Study Schedule
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I can’t say this enough. Organization is everything during finals week. I map out what assignments I need to get done and what I need to study. Then I map out times to do these things and hold myself accountable.
- Unplug!
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Something that I’ve learned during the pandemic is that I get distracted easily. I realized that when I’m working I need to turn off my notifications on my computer and hide my phone from myself. Working literally two feet from my bed is hard enough. I don’t need the outside world to distract me from my study session.