Your head is probably buried in books right now and you’re trying your hardest to cram as much information into your brain as possible. You’re happy the school year is coming to an end but you’re also extremely stressed out about what’s left to do. Don’t worry… I’ve got some tips to help you through this.
- Get enough sleep
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I listed this first because I know how little sleep we get as college students and how many of us love working at night, but getting enough sleep is so important to both your physical and mental health. Try your hardest to get at least 7 hours of sleep during finals week. This will help your brain function better for your exams and allow you to better retain and recall the information you studied when you need it.
- Turn off your phone (or put it on Do Not Disturb)
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If you keep your phone next to you while you’re studying, then you know how impossible it is not to glance at it when you hear it vibrate. Then that glance turns into a “Oh, let me just see what they said…” And that turns into ending up on your phone for half an hour. Turn it off or put it on do not disturb!!! This will prevent that from happening and allow you to actually study without any distractions. You’ll be thankful you did it.
- Don’t try to do everything at once
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Remember you’re only human and you need breaks. You might want to do everything at once and just get it over with, but you need to allow yourself some time to breathe. It’ll help you do better, too. Go on a little walk, listen to some music, take a short nap (but don’t forget to turn on an alarm so it doesn’t turn into a 6 hour “nap”), or work out/do some yoga. These will all help keep you refreshed and prevent you from feeling burnt out.
- Ask for help if you need it
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It’s okay not to know it all and not understand everything. If something isn’t making sense or you need clarification, don’t be afraid to ask someone for help. This can be a friend, a classmate, or even your professor. People are almost always more than willing to help and you’ll be glad you reached out once you see that question on the exam and actually know what to put for it.
- Make sure you’re eating enough and drinking enough water
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It’s so easy to forget to eat and drink when you’re too busy and wrapped up in your studying. Set some reminders for yourself to eat/drink and keep some snacks and water bottles near you too (and try to eat healthy!). Staying full and not allowing yourself to get dehydrated will help your mind work better and make you feel better… allowing you to do better on your finals.