Once again, finals week is upon us. For most, this is the most stressful time of the semester. On top of exams, many students are attempting to figure out summer plans, such as housing, trips, or summer jobs. It can be an overwhelming couple of weeks, so here are my tips for feeling prepared going into the final week of the semester.
1. Ensure you have a productive space at home
Before you begin exams, I highly recommend making your room or house a comfortable environment. Clean your space, fold that laundry you’ve been putting off, or do whatever it is that will minimize stress from your upcoming week. Having a clean and comfortable space will enable you to study productively if you choose to work there or come home from a long day of exams and stress to a welcoming, tranquil place of residence.
2. Get busy work out of the way
If there are unimportant assignments due the same week as any exams or papers, get them out of the way now. This will reduce the amount of alternative work you need to do during finals week. Spend time studying for worthwhile exams, not filling out class evaluation surveys.
3. Plan out your finals week
Whether you use a digital planner or a paper planner, organizing your week is a great way to get peace of mind. This will help you visualize upcoming exams and how and when to study. Good things to add to your calendar include study hall dates and times, commitments you have to attend, and what building your exams will be held in.
4. Try to mentally relax
Stressing about what lies ahead won’t do you any good. It is important to go into finals week as relaxed as possible with a clear mind. Each person will do this differently, but some of my favorites ways to calm my mind include reading a book, meditating, therapeutic cleaning, and getting lots of sleep.
Finals week and wrapping up the semester in general can be challenging. That is why it’s important to prepare and organize as best you can. The hard part is almost over, and you will feel relieved once it is. So for now, just do your best prep work and study hard and then summer will be here before you know it!