It’s finally here: the dreaded finals week. It’s that time of the quarter when everyone is stressed out, and the campus adapts a hectic atmosphere. It can be even more intimidating is if it’s your first time taking college finals. I know it can be difficult trying to juggle studying, personal life, and other responsibilities, but finals week doesn’t have to be stressful. So whether it’s your first finals week or your last, here’s some tips to help you get through it.
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One of the most important things to remember is the one we always neglect: prioritize your health and well-being! Remember to get decent sleep, eat regularly, drink loads of water, and take breaks. It’s incredibly easy to forget to drink water, or skip a meal, because you don’t have time, and we probably all could use more sleep. However, our health is one of the most important things, and it’s definitely more important than stressing yourself out. So if at any point during your time studying you feel completely drained of your energy, it’s okay to step back and take a small break to feel better. Trust me, you won’t do any better on your finals if you’re sleep-deprived or running on autopilot.
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Another thing that helps with finals is time management. I know we’ve all heard it a million times, but it really does maximize your efficiency if you create a timetable and stick to it. Sleep and wake up at set times, and carve out specific time slots to study. Try to avoid the one thing we’re all guilty of: procrastination. We all learn in different ways, but no one wants to be up at 2 a.m. cramming information for a final they have that same day; it’s stressful and it’s unhealthy. So as an alternative, try studying a few days ahead of your final. This way you can choose how much material you want to study each day, and by the time of your exam, the information will come naturally to you.
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The last thing to remember is this: don’t freak out. Stress is normal during any exam season, and every college student experiences it. However, don’t let this stress keep you up at night or cause you to have any breakdowns. Easier said than done, I know, but remember that your grades don’t define your intelligence nor do they define who you are as a person. Remind yourself that you were smart enough to get to where you are now, and you’re smart enough to keep succeeding. If you put in the work, and studied well for your finals, you can take solace in the fact that you genuinely tried your best. The grade you get is just a number.