It's that time of year again. November is passing by in the blink of an eye, professors are cracking down, and our stress levels are accelerating rapidly.  

Here are 10 essentials that I believe will make you freak out a little bit less during this dreadful time: 

1. Sleep

This is a must. No matter how much studying you do, your brain cannot function without sleep. What's the point in staying up all night pounding your brain with information if you will be too tired and disoriented to take the exam? Make sure to plan your studying in advance to ensure you can fit a good night's sleep into your schedule. Trust me, you'll be happy you caught some z's on the day of your exam. 

2. Planner 

You probably already have a planner for general homework, but this can also be used to map out the days of your exam and which days you will study certain subjects. There are obviously no classes during finals week, so it is sometimes hard to manage all that free time effectively. Have your days somewhat planned out before they approach, and promise yourself you will follow through with what you arranged! 

3. Colorful highlighters and pens 

This may sound geeky, but color-coding helps immensely, especially with classes that have a lot of reading material. This way, you can categorize information, indicate the most important material, etc. It also makes the notes look more appealing, which may make it easier to look at them (or is that just me?). 

4. Healthy snacks 

For those of you that will be living in the library, you need food as a tool for survival...and as tasty as Starbucks' snacks are, you may not want to be spending an excessive amount of money on coffee cakes and breakfast sandwiches. Research shows that sugary snacks lowers your cognitive performance and honestly, they just make you feel like crap. Some healthier, yet satisfying snacks include: veggies and pita chips with hummus, apples with peanut butter, yogurt with granola, almonds, string cheese, frozen grapes, pretzels, and more! If you feel good, you do good. 

5. Indulgences

....And with the healthy snacks come with the indulgences. After all, you deserve nothing less after all the work you have been doing! Treat yourself with something nice after a long days' work, like chocolate strawberries or ice cream from your favorite place. This doesn't necessarily have to be food either. If you want to really treat yourself, find time and schedule a massage. Or if you go to College of Charleston like I do, it may not be a bad idea to sneak into a downtown hotel hot tub or sauna...

6. Gum and peppermints 

First of all, who doesn't love chewing gum? Also, research shows that chewing gum can improve visual memory tasks. As for when you are actually taking the test, pop a peppermint. They are said to improve exam performance, and they have a soothing effect. Just keep a little of both in your bag all week, and you will be good to go! 

7. Refillable water bottle 

Don't make countless trips to the vending machines while in the library. Bring a refillable water bottle and use the filtered water fountains to quench your thirst. It's good for the environment, and saves you time and money. 

8. A clean notebook or Evernote 

If you are the least bit unorganized, it could be hard to get all of your notes neat and together. I am not saying to start completely over, but having a brand new notebook is beneficial because its a fresh place to create study guides for yourself, or jot down any important information for each class. Another idea is Evernote, an app you can download on your laptop. It allows you to have individual, digital notebooks all on one device. Basically, all of your information becomes on-the-go. You can sync your notes to multiple devices too! 

9. Comfy chic attire

You obviously want to feel cozy while holing up in the library and even while taking your tests, but its always nice to show up to your exam in something other than shorts and a t-shirt/yoga pants. Wearing more presentable clothing leads to feeling more put together and confident, and that could even lead to a better test grade. Look good, feel good, do good. 

10. Sleepy tea

You will probably be drinking coffee all day long, and caffeine is the last thing you need in your system when trying to fall asleep the night before a test. Sleepytime Herbal Tea has ingredients such as chamomile, blossoms, rosebud, spearmint, and lemongrass that relax you. Drink a cup during some last-minute studying or while rewarding yourself with a Netflix show. 

Most of all, stay calm during Finals Week. The overwhelming moments come and go, but in the end, everything will be just fine! Good luck!