It’s everyone’s favorite time of year -- when more than five hours of sleep is considered a blessing, fun weekend activities are replaced with hours spent in the library, and your to-do list seems to be endlessly growing. And, if we’re being honest, all we really want to do is lie in bed and watch “25 Days of Christmas” on ABC Family.

With final exams, papers, and projects worth 50 percent of our grade looming overhead, it is easy to feel exceedingly overwhelmed and hopeless. And while stress is an inevitable side effect of the next couple of weeks, I find that I am pretty good at combating it. To help you stay sane before you can depart home for the holidays, I present to you the following techniques:

1. Appreciate the little things

One of the positives of first-semester finals if that they coincide with a time of year that brings with it many simple joys. Christmas carols play just about anywhere you go, twinkling lights are strung inside shops, and coffee cups are given a festive flair. The next time you make a trip to Starbucks to buy (yet another) obligatory cup of coffee, take a moment to appreciate that December means that red cups are here and gingerbread lattes are back.

2. Have something fun lined up for when finals are over

I call this the “There’s a Light at the End of the Tunnel” strategy. Whether it’s tickets to a concert, a planned trip, or even a lunch date with friends, have something fun to look forward to once finals are over. While we are in full-on study mode, it can feel like all the fun has been sucked out of the universe. Remind yourself it still exists.

3. Listen to music with a positive message

Music has the power to make us feel happy, hopeful, and understood. When we feel anxiety while studying, positive music can raise our spirits. To be clear, although hits such as “Sorry” by Justin Bieber are always a fun time, I would stay away from high-tempo pop songs because, frankly, all you will want to do is dance and avoid any work you have. For this reason, I recommend listening to songs with a more acoustic vibe. (I don’t think I could get through studying without a little Jake Bugg, personally.)

4. Remember that by studying, you’re learning

All of the crying, frustration, and stress can make it feel like all you are doing by studying is upsetting yourself. When you want to throw in the towel, remember that at the end of it all, you will be a smarter person. Think of it this way -- by studying, you’re learning new information about the world, and how cool is that? (I know this sounds like something your mom would say, but hey, it’s true.)

5. Take a break -- the smart way

Repeat after me: I WILL NOT take a break from studying by watching a series on Netflix. We all need time off from studying sometimes (and rightfully so) but we all know that “just one episode” is never actually "just one." Instead, watch a movie or a documentary so that once it’s over, it’s done. This makes it much easier to go back to studying, rather than falling into a pit of binge-watching “Friends” until three in the morning.

6. And at the end of it all…

Remember that all you can do is try your best. You will be OK if you don’t ace all of your exams. The reality is that you will go far in life by opening yourself up to new experiences, being kind to people, and by having a positive attitude.