Finals week is a time that tests our ability to thrive under pressure. It's like a Spartan war—we'll either succeed and walk out a hero, or we will die a crippling, painful death. The concept is very teasing—we have five tests to take back-to-back along with three papers due while all we can think about are holiday candy cane candles and gingerbread cookies. But if we have all made it this far, we can make it to the finish!
Do: Use time management skills to get you through finals week. Plan out each day with what you plan on studying, how long you are going to study, and how much effort you need to put into that subject. Ask yourself questions like, "Is an A guaranteed?" "How hard do I have to work to get an A (or the grade I want)?" etc.
Don't: cram/try to learn the entire semester in a day. Study at a diligent pace or in intervals. Allow yourself to look over your material for 30 minutes then take a five minute break.
Do: keep your normal routine in check. If you're a regular gymgoer, keep going. If you break out of your habits, it will just stress you out even more. Just use your awesome time management skills to keep your schedule balanced.
Don't: study in groups. Don't kid yourself, you're not going to be studying; you're going to end up gossiping about the guy who sits next to you or about what your holiday plans are. Just don't do it. Use your own brain, go to the library, and study alone.
Do: allow yourself leisure time. This can fall into two extreme ends:
1. When you give yourself too much leisure time.
2. When you don't give yourself enough.
Find your balance. If you don't give yourself leisure time whatsoever, you will end up driving yourself insane. So figure out what you like to do in your spare time, and set some time aside to do it. (I like to color in those mindfulness coloring books. I have both "Color Me Mindful" and "Color Me Stress-Free." I recommend both!)
Don't: rely on Red Bull or Vyvanse to keep you going. Give yourself the opportunity to sleep. Study enough to earn your rest. A full night's sleep is much more beneficial than staying up all night cramming.
Do: eat healthy. If you fill up on cheap junk food, you're not doing yourself a favor. Treat your body well by eating plenty of fruits/veggies/whole grains/etc. because in the long-run, you won't crash.
Don't: amp up your coffee intake if you're an avid coffee drinker. Drink your normal cup or two or whatever you're used to. If you drink a whole bunch of coffee and your body isn't used to it, you will either have to use the restroom a lot or you'll have the shakes (or both), and you won't be able to concentrate on your studies.
Do: eat something before each exam. You don't want to go into a final exam brain-dead; you want to present your best self to both your professor and yourself. Prove to yourself you can do this, and show your professor you learned something this semester.
Don't: psych yourself out. Chances are, you know a lot of the material you are about to be tested on. It's just the idea of having to think back to the first couple of weeks that's intimidating, but you know it! It's somewhere in your brain. Remind yourself that you can and will get through these finals. Be your own motivator!
Oh, and don't forget to give yourself little treats as you get through each final (or one nice treat at the end). Treats are oh so rewarding, even if they're small! Good luck this finals week! You can do this!
