It's that time of the year again. Somehow, the semester is already nearing the point that college students everywhere dread so much: finals. During this stressful week, it's really easy to drive ourselves insane. Why should we, though? There are certain things that we should all take into consideration before we let ourselves go crazy.
The studying.
Let's just get this part out of the way first. There have been so many times that I've sat down to study for a final and thought to myself, "How do I even study for this?" At this point I realized that there is a difference between studying and "studying." It's different for every major, but most of the time, you won't be doing yourself any good if you're just staring at and flipping through your notes or textbook. You have to actually engage yourself in your studies in order to learn and attain everything. Here are some different ways to do that:
Go back through the materials and create your own study guide.
Redo any quizzes, homework or tests from throughout the semester and check your work.
Create a quizlet.
Go to Quizlet.com. If you're not familiar with it, this website has so many different ways for you to self-assess your knowledge of a topic, including flashcards, matching games and more!
Study with a group.
Assign a different chapter or unit to every person to study with extra effort and then have each person reteach their section to the rest of the group.
Your mental health is more important than your grades.
As important as final exams may feel in the moment, your mental health should always come first. Here are some important do's and don'ts to remember.
Do:
Take breaks.
Study for 40 to 90 minutes and then take a 10 minute break. Try not to let your break last too long, though; this could easily lead to procrastination!
Take care of your body.
Taking care of your body is taking care of your mind. Take some time to get fresh air every once in a while, go to the gym or get some exercise. Be sure to watch what you're eating, too! Click here for some ideas for meals and study snacks.
Take advantage of opportunities presented by your school.
A lot of schools provide different ways to relieve stress during finals, including therapy dogs, free massages and more. Don't pass up these opportunities to help yourself stay sane!
Sleep!
Sleep is so important, especially for consolidating information that you've studied. If you have trouble falling asleep earlier at night, try disconnecting from your phone earlier in the evening.
Don't:
Pull all-nighters.
They might seem like a good idea at the time, but they definitely are not. Your body and your brain need sleep.
Beat yourself up over not being able to understand something.
College is hard, man! There's no need to feel embarrassed or angry when you can't quite comprehend something. Never hesitate to reach out to your professor, TA's or peers. It's never too late to try to get some extra help!
Eat junk food.
Snack smart and study hard!
Study in the same place every time.
It's always great to switch up your study spot. If you study in your room all the time, try the library, a bench outside or a coffee shop!
You're not alone.
Sometimes when you're preparing for all of those exams, you feel like you're the only person on Earth experiencing the insane amount of stress caused by everything on your plate. A great thing to do when you're feeling like this is to find a good study spot in the company of other students. Sometimes getting out of your room and going to the library can serve as a reminder that you are not the only one feeling the way that you're feeling.
Slay.
Go into your exams with confidence. You won't do any better on your exams if you don't let yourself believe you will. Don't stress, do your best and forget the rest.
