Because professors are the enemy and finals freaking suck.
We can all agree that finals week–and the week before finals week–is all around a really bad time. You’re probably calling your parents to break down crying since the stress has gotten to you or hiding in your room because all your problems can’t get to you when you’re in bed, right? Over the past couple of years, I’ve noticed what works and doesn’t work for me during this wonderful time of the year, so I thought I’d share my secrets for sanity.
- Keep Your Friends Close
-
One thing I like to do during finals (and weeks before) is to keep my friends very close. If there’s anything I learned this year, it’s that your support system is one of the most important things in life. So during this finals season, don’t forget to make time to see the people who make life a little bit easier. Make each other laugh, blow off some steam, or even study together! Whether an introvert or an extrovert, get out there and make time for your friends.
- Write ALL of the Lists
-
I mean who doesn’t love the satisfaction of crossing everything off of a to-do list, am I right? Whether it’s for school, packing up for the quarter, or Christmas gifts, making lists is a great way to keep track of all the tasks that have to get done. If you don’t like handwriting your lists, try the “Clear” app found in the App Store or Google Keep for electronic color-coded lists!
- Don’t Forget to Nourish Yourself!
-
In a stressful time, you’ll either eat nothing or everything. This finals season, at least try to land somewhere in between. Make sure you’re actually eating (because study snacks are the most important if we’re being honest with each other here), but also don’t feel like you have to stress eat either. Try to find good brain food that will satisfy and satiate you for a while instead of the stuff that’ll make you crash an hour after you eat it. Grab some fruit or energy bars for a snack, and don’t forget actual meals even if it is just some pasta. Nourish yourself because, trust me, your body (and mind!) will thank you for it.
- Exercise. Just Do It.
-
So I already know that you’re going to say you don’t have time, but hear me out. When you’ve been stuck inside the library for the whole day studying or just in your dorm room crying your eyes out because all of the finals are too much and you just want to go home, it might seem like the world is ending. Especially here in Seattle, when it gets dark at 4PM (shoutout to daylight savings), productivity seems to go down and stress seems to go up. A way that you can get out your overwhelming feeling that everything is crashing down is by going to the gym and sweating it out. Just take an hour out of your day to take time for yourself and head over to the gym to do your body a favor. When you’re constantly sitting down and working your mind, don’t forget to reward your body with a good sweat. Whether it’s doing a Youtube video workout, running on the treadmill, or going to a class with a friend, just get those endorphins pumping people!
- Take All the Naps You Need
-
Honestly, I’m not a very big nap person any other time of the year. It seems like there’s so much to do and my days are always booked so that I don’t really have the time to nap. That being said, during finals week I throw all of that away and I #treatmyself. When you’re tired because all you’ve been doing is writing a paper for the last five hours, take a freaking nap, friend. Listen to your body because if it hasn’t slept well then it won’t function well either. It can be 30 minutes or 2 hours–anything will help. So get on into bed, snuggle under the covers, and take a fat cat nap.
I hope these five things gave you somewhat of an idea for what to do when professors are the enemy and papers/projects/presentations/exams are piling up. Overall, if you don’t do any of these things, just make sure to take time for yourself, whatever that may look like. Remind yourself that it will all be over soon and you’ll be at home with your pets in no time. Good luck with finals everybody, you got this!