As a freshman, I have yet to conquer my first set of finals. However, I have gathered some tips from my peers to get me prepared for finals and I would like to share them with any other freshman that are nervous.

1. Prepare early!

This is obvious, however, in high school, it was something that I never did. I started studying for the test the week I was taking it and more often than not received a poor grade. I deserved this because I wasn’t prepared, but was upset with because no one likes a bad grade. This year I have started preparing weeks in advance and I am hoping to get back grades I can finally be proud of.

2. Make a study plan and know what you will focus on each study session.

For each of my classes I have to take a final in, which thankfully is only two, I made a study plan. I have things planned to do every day. You should always have an idea of what you are going to study and how before you jump into studying. For example, I have planned to review flashcards and watch a class lecture each day or do practice problems to review for my Macroeconomics class.

3. Sleep!

This is one of the biggest parts of life but it usually seems to disappear from student’s schedules during the week of finals. Sleep is crucial for everyone, especially college students. From going out on weekends and staying up late to study, we are draining our bodies week after week. Finals week is one of the most stressful parts of college life and we need to be well rested going into is and throughout it. If you continue to stay up late and study, you will not retain as much as you would if you were rested.

4. Have your daily dose of caffeine.

As much as I would like to practice what I preach and sleep, it is not that simple. Whenever I don’t get as much sleep as I should, I turn to caffeine. My go-to choice is a White Chocolate Mocha. How you want to have caffeine, and if you want it at all, is personal preference. If you don’t want caffeine, finding time to take a nap is a great solution.

5. Stay Healthy.

We may not have a lot of time this week but that doesn’t mean we have to cut exercise out of our schedule. Exercising is a great form of stress relief that people tend to take out of their schedule while they are busy. This is the opposite of what we should do. If you continue to stress yourself out with no way to de-stress, you will start to drain yourself and could cause you to break down.

The last thing you want is to get sick before your finals.

6. Stay Positive!

Not only will you being happy help you to destress, it will also help your grades. It has been said that if you go into your test with the mindset that you are going to fail or do poorly, you will. However, if you believe that you will do well on the test, you most likely will. If you stay positive, it will rub off on your peers and they will more likely then not be in a better mood giving them a good mindset for their tests.

7. Get rid of all distractions.

TV shows, bars, stores, or whatever distracts you will be there after finals. Education is very important, we have a huge opportunity in front of us that is not worth trashing for that extra episode, drink, or piece of clothing. Take away all of your distractions now, for a week at most, then you can go back to distracted yourself during winter break.

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Finals are a big part of high school and college. It is crucial to be as prepared as you can. Remember, all you can do is your best. Good luck!