It’s getting close to the end of the semester and if you’re anything like me then you’re exhausted ALL OF THE TIME. While making time to study, work, and stay sane may seem challenging, I can promise you that it IS possible. However, there are a few things you should try to avoid during this last stressful month of the semester.

1. Skipping class

As tempting as it is to sleep through your last few classes and study at home, try to avoid doing this at all costs. These few weeks left leading up to finals are SO important. No matter how much your professor says they won’t add things from class or that the test is straight from the PowerPoints or how “If you do the study guide you should be fine,” IT’S ALL LIES. Every final has a way of throwing a curveball and the best way to avoid those is to go to class.

2. Buying and eating junk food

With all the stress you’re bound to be feeling it seems tempting to just buy a bag of chips and let the salty, crunchy, joy ease your pain. This can be dangerous to your mind and your body. Not only will you eat your weight in junk food and forever be angry about the extra five pounds you put on in one week, but you’ll end up being even more tired all the time. Junk food = fatigue = oversleeping = missing class = failing your finals.

3. Binge-watching Netflix

OK so maybe an episode or two is okay as a reward for studying to hard but be careful. Before long one episode turns into five which turns into a whole season and you don’t realize it’s been 8 hours until your eyes burn from staring at your screen for so long. Set time limits for your Netflix consumption and please, whatever you do, DO NOT START ANY NEW SHOWS.

4. Going out every weekend

Not everyone goes out, but for those who do going every weekend during the last month of the semester could be disastrous. Whether you’re the DD for the night or you plan on getting so drunk you can’t remember how the night started, this is all valuable time you could be spending studying or sleeping. I know it sounds boring, but you’ll thank yourself once you’ve aced all your tests and can go out to celebrate.

5. Studying too much

Believe it or not, it is possible to study too much. While giving yourself too many breaks and not taking your classes seriously is a major problem, stressing yourself out with 24/7 studying isn’t the way to go either. Your mind retains more information under mild amounts of stress than it does under a lot or very little stress. It’s all about moderation. Think of studying and relaxing as that chocolate you shouldn’t eat on your diet. A little won’t hurt but eating too much or none at all will drive you crazy.

It’s possible to survive the final month of the semester. It’s tough, tiring, and the most stressful thing ever, but once it’s over life looks so much better.