Finals are here. That one-to-two week period of the semester where life suddenly becomes your worst nightmare. Trying to fit in all the studying you need to do. Hoping for a chance to sleep soon. Shoving your face full of food as you stress eat your worries away. Drinking as much coffee as your system can handle but it's just making you have to pee more than it is helping you. These are the 10 steps of finals week.
1. Thinking about how much you have to do.
Write this paper and that paper. Study for that test... Study for that other test. Sleep? What's that?
2. Trying not to cry.
So much to do so. So little time. So much stress. So many feelings.
3. Giving up and crying.
4. Crying some more.
It's OK. Let it all out.
5. Then suiting up and sucking it up.
Maybe don't literally put on a suit but at least put on some real clothes. Pajamas signal bedtime/rest/relaxation and will not aide you in you're studying.
6. Creating a plan.
Figure out when you're going to stop studying one thing and move onto the next. Decide what you're going to eat and when. Be sure to eat right, drink plenty of water, don't over-caffeinated.
7. In that plan scheduling some down time.
Pomodoro method: for every 25 minutes of studying, take a five-minute break. If you feel yourself needing a nap, take a nap but set an alarm so you don't oversleep. Don't pull all-nighters either, getting enough sleep is very important. Countless studies have proven that sleep deprivation ruins memory.
8. Starting your studying.
That just says it all doesn't it?
9. Taking your final(s).
10. Repeating the process all over the next semester.
It happens every semester and yet, we never seem to be prepared.
