For any college student staring down finals week, here are 12 things that you should be making a part of your daily routine in order to stay sane, healthy, and hydrated.
1. Get up early.
(Disregard if you pulled an all nighter.) Even if you don’t have an exam until 2 o’clock in the afternoon, getting up before noon means you have more time to wake up, feel prepared, get some brain food...and cram too.
2. Make a list.
List making isn’t for everybody, but during this chaotic time, creating a schedule for your day will help organize your mind. Make sure you write down where, and at what time your exams are taking place, and set goals for the day as far as studying goes, mapping out specific times that you can study throughout your day.
3. Get Outside.
(And no, walking to an exam doesn’t count!) If you feel completely overwhelmed and cannot study for one more second, get out into the fresh air, sit on a bench, lay a blanket out on the grass, stroll to the café for a little caffeine boost. You’ll feel reenergized and your mind will be able to decompress.
4. Hang out with your friends.
Yes, yes, it is finals week and you feel like you should be staked out in the corner of the library, but keep in mind, this is also the last week that you’ll be seeing a lot of your friends for months… I don’t mean to be a Debbie downer, but make some room for them in your crazy day. Study together, grab dinner or procrastinate together and binge watch Netflix for a few hours… Or whatever, you’ll feel happier and less stressed out when you’re with them.
5. Make time to veg.
Whether you veg by hanging out with your friends, power napping or watching TV, it is OK to make some time to relax, probably right after you get back from taking an exam, relax, recharge and then start studying for the next one.
6. Change up your study spot.
This might sound strange…but it really does work. Study in your room, study in your school’s café, study outside or go to the library, wherever you know you are able to concentrate the best. Sometimes our brains need a change of scenery.
7. Do not underestimate the power of the quiet section.
If your school’s library has one of these, take advantage of it! A lot of people complain that they can’t focus if it’s too quiet, but if you really need to focus, try studying here. There are absolutely no distractions, and you can really focus on finishing that huge essay and leave feeling accomplished.
8. Eat food.
For many students, finals week means a really chaotic and stressful schedule, but make sure you are trying to eat three meals a day, two at the least. You need food. Food is good for you, and you need it to function. So make sure you plan accordingly, because the last thing we all want is our stomachs sounding like dying walruses while taking exams.
9. Drink water.
Yes, caffeine is also important, but make sure you are drinking water every day. Start the day off with water, then grab the caffeine, because yes coffee can be your crutch during finals week, but it can leave you feeling foggy and dehydrated. So make sure that you are drinking water in between your daily caffeine fixes.
10. Exercise.
(Some of you will laugh at this one.) But another great way to destress and stay energized during finals week is to make some time to exercise, whether you go to the gym, jog around campus or do pilates/yoga in your room. Even if you just do 20 jumping jacks for thirty-second intervals during study breaks. Try to work out and get your blood pumping at least three times during finals week.
11. Start packing.
I know that for many students this seems impossible, and you probably cannot even fathom the idea that in four to five days you’ll be gone, but make sure you make some time to pack up little things here and there. For example, all the clothes that you know you won't be wearing anymore, shoes, books, etc.
12. Return your used books throughout the week.
Depending on your school’s policy, it may be a smart idea to return rental textbooks to the school bookstore after using them to study for specific exams. This way, you wont be stuck in the two hour line to return books on Friday afternoon.
