Finals time is a time of being stressed, overwhelmed and any other emotion that will distract you from the final destination — home. But in order to get to that beloved place, you need to make it through a week of finals that seems never-ending.
Here are some things you must remember before the week of hell begins.
1. Never underestimate just how hard a final can be.
Just because you have an A in the class does not excuse you from studying. Walking in, you may feel confident. Walking out, you may be in tears.
So just save yourself the trouble and look over your notes for a bit.
2. Studying with other people will not always help you in the end.
Good for you if you're actually able to focus while studying with other people. If you can't, don't pretend like you are and just kindly say no thank you.
You'd only be hurting yourself when you should be helping yourself.
3. Do not let your friends distract you.
If it's the night before your final, and no one else has a test until later in the week, you better lock yourself in your room and throw away the key. You're old enough to be responsible for your own time.
4. Not sleeping will only make things worse.
After hours of struggling and retaining almost nothing, don't stay up trying to squish all of the information into your brain.
It just won't work. Trust me, I've tried.
Just relax, go to bed and wake up fresh in the morning ready to conquer what seems like the impossible.
5. Coffee is not always the answer.
Overloading on caffeine may keep you awake, but your body might hate you after a while. Instead, leave some space for water or a smoothie or anything else that will make you feel good.
6. Small breaks in between studying are essential.
Give yourself time to relax and take a breather.
7. I will not always know everything.
Attempting to remember every single concept you learned in a whole semester is just not possible. Teachers might not know that, but students definitely do.
It's OK.
Don't stress, and just focus on major points and stay away from small details.
8. Sometimes it's better to take care of yourself than your grades.
Staying up until four in the morning, bingeing on coffee and not leaving your room all day is not good for your mental or physical state. Get out, take a walk, go to the gym, have lunch with your friends, whatever!
9. Don't let small bumps discourage you.
Failing a final is not as bad as you think. The world will continue to rotate, and you will graduate in the end. Everything will be OK — even if it doesn't seem like it in the moment.
10. Grades do not define me.
Do not allow your final grades to tell you who you are.
Yes, you are still intelligent. No, you will not worthless because you didn't remember the name of the wife of the man who did that thing.
