4 TIPS TO WEATHERING THE STORM THAT IS YOUR FIRST ROUND OF COLLEGE FINALS
Start writing a post
Student Life

4 TIPS TO WEATHERING THE STORM THAT IS YOUR FIRST ROUND OF COLLEGE FINALS

What a time to be alive.

6
4 TIPS TO WEATHERING THE STORM THAT IS YOUR FIRST ROUND OF COLLEGE FINALS
Elana Neve

Ah, November, or what many people like to call “No Life November.” It feels like just yesterday was syllabus week, and no one had an academic care in the world. Now, the seasons are changing, midterms have officially passed, and it’s crunch time. If you're a freshmen, this can be an insanely stressful time because college-level final exams are completely new territory for you. If you are satisfied with your current grades, this is the home stretch. Don't slow down now! Keep pushing yourself to the finish line! And if your grades aren’t what you had hoped they would be, don’t lose hope! There is still plenty of time and opportunity to pull your grades up. Here are some tips from people who have endured final exams and learned a thing or two about how to prepare for them and survive them:

1. Suffering in silence is NOT an option… Go to office hours and tutors!

Life (and the semester!) is too short to say nothing and pretend like your problems don’t exist. If you are struggling with something, tell someone and seek out help! Everyone has his or her own reasoning for staying quiet (actually talking to a professor one-on-one can be terrifying and sometimes it’s hard to admit that you need assistance), but none of it is worth doing poorly in a class. College is about so much more than getting all A’s. It’s important to take charge of your life, confront your problems, and ask for help when you need it. You’ll grow as a person and develop skills that will allow you to be more successful out in the real world.

2. Make friends in your classes.

There is NOTHING worse than being lost in a class and having no one talk to as a point of reference, especially with finals rapidly approaching and every point counting. Sometimes a professor’s explanation of an assignment or a concept just doesn’t cut it. Sometimes, in order to get through a tough class, you need to have that ‘we’re going through hell together’ bond with someone. And sometimes you won’t be able to make it to class, and you’ll need someone to send you the notes and tell you what you missed. Whether the friends you make in class are people that you commiserate with at 4 A.M. when you both still wide awake studying or people that help explain what the heck a professor is talking about, they’re good to have.

3. Have an outlet.

While we all wish be could be eat-sleep-study machines 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, it’s simply not realistic. If you spend every waking minute your time studying, you’re going to crack. Your mental health is just as important as your grades, so it’s imperative that you take a break from the books every now and then to do something that will relieve some of that academic stress. Some people hit the gym, some people hang out with friends, some people watch an episode of Gilmore Girls, and some people eat 6 jumbo-sized powdered donuts in under 30 seconds – whatever works!

4. Get lots of sleep.

At some point, we all skip out on sleep. We may believe that pulling an all-nighter to cram for a midterm will save our grade in a class, but getting an inadequate amount of sleep can be extremely harmful. Not only does a lack of sleep make us more susceptible to getting sick, but it also inhibits our minds from functioning at their full potential. If you study and then get some sleep, your brain will retain much more information than a drowsy brain will. It’s important to take care of our bodies and minds, so do yourself a favor and give yours a [preferably 6 to 8 hour long] rest.

Good luck with the rest of the semester, people. In closing, I leave you with a final tidbit of advice from one of my generation’s most iconic scholastic minds.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

58115
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

37434
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

959078
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

192724
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments