December has hit us, meaning the end of the semester has also slapped us in the face. Papers, projects, presentations, tests and oh yeah..MORE TESTS!!! With this time, whether you are a freshmen in college or in your last year/semester here, these are going to be some tips on how not to stress yourselves out during finals.

1. Make a to-do and to-done list

This might seem obvious, and I have definitely said this before in previous articles. But this works!! And also makes you feel more productive. Just write down all finals papers, test, projects, etc. Even the ones you have finished, then check off those done and start planning how to tackle the rest of your work. Seeing what you actually have left shows that it isn't as bad as you're probably making it seem in your head. Also, this way you know what will be due sooner and later, making sure each assignment is getting the time it deserves.

2. Give yourself Me Time

I know this sounds super cliche and also obvious, but you will be surprised how few amount of time people give themselves to just breathe. Also, this does not mean to do this every day for 3 hours a day and watch Netflix or take multiple naps. This just means, that maybe for 5 or 10 and possibly up to 30 minutes a day or every few days, just sit and not think, or think less about what is going on. Maybe drink some tea, read a fun book, listen to some calm music. Make sure you are taking care of you, in order to keep running through these trying times. It is healthy and good for the being to be at some sort of peace in such a hectic period.

3. Meditate

This does not come easy to everyone since some cannot relax for more than a minute (Leslie Knope) and others think they cannot do this task. There are multiple benefits to meditating when we are full of thoughts and stress. Thanks to the internet also, there are plenty of how-to lists and videos on how to mediate, do yoga, and to just relax. Meditating takes some practice, as does most skills one wants to learn. Listening to calm music may also help get one into that head space to relax, and possibly lighting some incense or candles. As long as you can breathe steadily and not break down from the stress, you are meditating.

This is a short list, but they are very helpful for the short term of finals week. Make sure you are taking care of your physical and mental states, these are important in surviving a stressful situation. Also, this is such a small step in the roller coaster of life, and does not have a lot of effect on the rest of your life. In a year you will forget about the stress you feel now, or forget about that one assignment you're freaking out on and just stress about what is happening at that moment. We are not meant to live in constant anxiety and stress, remember life is so much more than finals week.