Life is rough. Finals are rough. Life during finals is seriously rough. Here are some tips that make functioning during finals just a little bit easier.
1. Get some sleep.
And by some, I mean as much sleep as possible because your 15 page paper definitely won't make any sense if you’re running on three hours of sleep. Try to get at least eight hours of sleep the night before a written exam. I know it seems impossible, but a full night of sleep will keep your mind refreshed and ready to do werk.
2. Set an alarm.
No one wants to be the person who arrives halfway through the test in pajamas. Set an alarm, wake up a little bit earlier than usual, and allow yourself time to get ready for your day. It can make a world of a difference.
3. Remember to eat.
This may seem like a silly tip, but it's surprising how many people choose studying over eating. Food is necessary, and skipping meals is easy when mealtime could actually be used as precious study hours instead. Eat breakfast. Eat lunch. Eat dinner. Eat small snacks in between. Keep your stomach happy to maintain focus and avoid hangry headaches and distractions.
4. Drink water. Lots of water.
Because it’s better for you than caffeine. Caffeine may be considered a necessity during this week from hell, but water is seriously a must. Sip on some water throughout the day and between your obscene caffeine intakes. Drink a glass of water when you wake up and before you go to sleep. You may need to pee in the middle of the night, but your body will thank you by the end of finals week.
5. Get to class early.
Seriously. Get to class early so you don’t have to stress as much. This goes back to the setting an alarm tip. It is better to have some relaxation time before you have to spew out everything you crammed into your brain the night before. Likewise, getting to class early means talking to the other smart people who arrived early too, and usually they’re the smart ones who know what they're talking about.
6. Bring extra supplies to class.
Bring an extra pen, pencil, green book, paper etc. You may need it yourself, or someone else might. You never know when you'll need to pull a solid for a classmate, and maybe, just maybe, the universe will send some good karma your way for your kind deed and help you get an A.
7. Go to office hours.
Professors have office hours for a reason: It is their job to help you. Going to office hours shows the professor that you actually kind of care about the class and want a good grade. Go. Seriously, go. You pay thousands of dollars for them to go out of their way to help you.
8. Actually plan ahead.
Know your finals schedule. Know your deadlines. Manage your time so you can meet these deadlines because missing them probably means failing.
9. Study. Like, actually study.
Get off of Facebook. Get off of Twitter and Instagram. Put your phone away, grab a book, and start studying. You can’t cram 15 weeks of information into your brain if you’re distracted by photos of ugly Christmas sweaters and Facebook posts from 2010.
10. Give yourself a break or two though.
Take a walk around campus, take a 30-minute nap, or take a snack break. Just take some time for yourself. Clear your mind. Stop looking at a computer screen for a few minutes and move around. Your brain definitely won't be able to function without a break.
And remember to chill. Of course finals are important—you’re paying a sh** ton of money to attend school, but take a step back and remind yourself that grades do not define you. Work hard and you will do well, but cut yourself some slack when it gets too stressful. Losing sleep and putting terrible amounts of caffeine into your body are simply unhealthy. Relax, take a deep breath, stand in solidarity with everyone else who hates this week like you do, and good luck!
