It happens at the conclusion of every semester: An eerie quietness settles upon campus, like a calm before the storm. Students huddle in the library, arming themselves with knowledge in preparation for the impending, and ever-so-dreaded finals week. Sound familiar?
Yes, Dead Week is fast approaching; and that means endless coffee, sweatpants, and stress. But with these 7 tips for surviving Dead eek, perhaps you — and your GPA — will survive ...
1. Start prepping for Dead Week the week before
"Wait, why would I want to make Dead Week twice as long," you ask? True, it may not seem like a lot of fun. But the hardest part of Dead Week is studying for finals, on top of studying the usual stuff. If you know what's due during Dead Week, then try to get it done the week before so you have less to worry about when actual Dead Week hits. Dead Week will be a little less dead, and you will have more time to watch Netflix.
2. Book appointments with your professors in advance
Your professors will be swamped with students visiting their office hours. Studying in a group is a great tactic, but if you need more time to talk to the professor, then start booking an appointment now. Otherwise, they might not be available to help you as much as you'd like when dead week hits.
3. Prioritize your finals
Check, and double check the times of your finals. Write it down in your planner. Then, prioritize how early you start studying for your exams based on their time and date. If you have a final at 8 a.m. on Monday and another final at 1:30 p.m. on a Thursday for example, don't put all your efforts into the Thursday exam.
4. Get a study group together
They say "misery loves company" but that's not why you want to get a study group together. Teaching is often the best form of learning, and if you can teach your friends a concept with confidence, then you know you're ready to apply that concept to a test.
Additionally, it's helpful to get a different perspective on a topic. Everyone thinks a little differently, and if the professor's way of explaining something was confusing to you, your friends might be able to explain it better.
Warning: If you and your friends find yourselves laughing, having fun, and generally getting distracted from your studies, you need to abandon ship. Time is too valuable to waste.
5. Use multiple ways to study
We've all heard of "visual, auditory, and kinesthetic" styles of learning. But I'm fairly certain most people are a little bit of everything. So when it comes to studying, mix it up! If you always use flashcards, try watching a Khan Academy video. If you're always watching Khan Academy videos, try taking a quiz on Quizlet. There are so many different ways to study, and mixing up which ways you try can help increase the efficiency of your studying, and decrease the time needed to study.
6. Clean your room
You've just spent all day at the library. You're running on little to no sleep, your hair looks like a bird's nest, and all you want to do is curl up in your bed, but it hasn't been made in years. The dishes are piled up in the sink, laundry is piled up in the hamper, and suddenly all that stress you felt toward your classes is now redirected at your messy room. Wouldn't it be nice to not have to deal with all that?
Answer: Yes, yes it would.
So get all of that spring cleaning done ASAP. You deserve a clean sanctuary that smells of lavender and fresh laundry. That way when you study hard, you can turn your brain off at the end of the day without a care in the world.
7. Take care of yourself
I know, it's hard to find time to eat and go to the gym, or even sleep. I've been there. But your body is a temple; it does a lot for you. That doesn't mean it will take your disrespect though, and if you don't nourish your brain it will not retain the information that you want it to. Luckily, you can avoid this by:
1. Getting 8+ hours of sleep a night
2. Eating protein with that coffee to stabilize your blood sugar
3. Walking/biking for 30 minutes to release endorphins
4. Taking breaks between long hours of studying
5. Having confidence in yourself. You can do it!
