Fighting Final Exam Frets: Tips and Tricks to Get the Best Grade Possible

Papers and projects and exams, Oh my! With finals just around the corner many students are resisting the urge to mentally break down from all of the stress they are under. These four tips can help to ease the pain of studying for finals and help summer get here that much faster.

 1. Break it up: Looking at a long list of assignment after assignment that needs to be complete in a matter of days can make anyone’s brain explode. Start but dividing up tasks that you can realistically complete each day. If you have a 15 page term paper due later next week vow to write around 1 or 2 pages each day until then. By breaking up your work you will not only avoid procrastination, but you will also have a better-developed end project than something you through together the night before.
 
2.      Find a Study Buddy: One of the best ways to study for finals is to find a partner in your class that you can team up with.  Comparing notes can assure that you didn’t miss anything important that morning you decided to skip class after seeing the midnight premiere of The Hunger Games. Don’t just limit your study buddy to one person, the more the merrier! Research shows that when studying in groups you are more likely to stay on task and fill in any gaps that might have been confusing within the material. If you do not know anyone in your class, sending out a mass email is a perfect way to rally people together, and who knows you might meet a new friend in the process!
 

3.      Reward Yourself: Compensation in the best motivation. You are more likely to work harder to complete a task if you know you are going to get something enjoyable out of it. Your reward doesn’t have to be big. Allowing yourself a 15 minute Facebook break or treating yourself to a piece of chocolate after completing a paper are just the treats to keep you working hard. Beware of going overboard with your rewards. Spending 3 hours skyping your best friend as an allowance for finishing ten pages of reading is hardly a fair trade and is even less productive. Saving the extravagant rewards for once your are officially done for the year will be the ultimate pay-off.
 
4.      Maintain a Healthy Diet and Exercise: Although this tip does not seem directly related to acing that impossible bio exam, your diet really can affect the way your brain works. Stocking up on snacks that are high in sugar and energy drinks will cause you to eventually crash and loss focus. Munching on foods that are high in protein, such as peanut butter, will help you stay focused when studying for long periods of time. Incorporating exercise can also provide a way to reduce stress. Going for a quick fifteen minute jog between assignments is a great way to release pent up anxiety about upcoming deadlines and to allow you to refocus.
 
Now that you have these great study tips, the only thing left to do is put them into action! Once you exam date rolls around relax, be confident, and smile at the fact that the perfect summer you have been dreaming of is just a short time away!