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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Penn chapter.

Here we are, nearing the end of the semester! Though I’m a junior in college, this has been my second semester in person. As a Cinema and Media Studies major, most of my final assignments are papers, but not all of them! 

Here are the different ways I’ve been organizing myself to combat finals stress. 

Write Down Your Assignments

While this might seem basic, not everyone does it — even though it’s extremely helpful. In my notes, I have a pinned document in which I’ve written out all of my final assignments in order of due date. This way, I can see everything I need to do in the order it’s due. Once I finally finish an assignment, I bold the item to know it’s completed.

Find Ways to Relax

During finals, I always struggle to get a reasonable amount of sleep. But it’s important to remember that without proper sleep, it’s hard to concentrate — which ultimately results in poor test-taking. If you really struggle to get the proper amount of sleep, set time aside to meditate and slow your mind. 

Take Care of Your Mental Health

During finals, I forget that I should have a life outside of studying. For me, this means trying to do something I enjoy everyday for at least 20 minutes (listen to music, read a book, take a walk with my friends, etc.). Another way I take care of myself is by trying to set realistic mini goals each day. This helps prevent me from getting overwhelmed because the majority of my final assignments are papers, which means they’re never truly done since you can always keep editing. 

I also find that I need to set boundaries because I tend to say “yes” to everything. In order to take care of yourself, try to say “no” to tasks or activities that will only make you feel more resentful or stressed. 

Organize your space

The last thing I do to lessen my stress during finals is organize my work space and apartment in general. I find that when my work space is cluttered, so is my mind, which makes it considerably harder to complete my work.

Hopefully, these last-minute tips help you out!

Zoe is a Junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, she is majoring in Cinema and Media Studies as well as minoring in English and Russian Studies. She hails from London, England, and has loved being a part of HerCampus. She has a younger sister, and two Havanese dogs (both of whom she misses very much). When she is not studying, she is the Vice President of Penn Sirens (Penn’s Premier all-female acapella group), a performing member of the Musical Theatre and Light Opera Company ‘Penn Singers’, a mentor for ASAP (After School Arts Program), and was selected as a student liaison between the Annenberg center and the students involved in the arts on campus. Find her on Instagram @z.goldstein