Finals are looming over us like a dark, ugly cloud of stress. I won’t claim to be the best at dealing with stress by any means. But, I’ve found the ways that I can make it through the week without wanting to bash my head into a wall. I’m sure you’ve heard about all of these finals week survival methods, so here’s my take on them, tried and true.
1. Don’t skimp on meals
I know, when you’re spending every waking moment up to your eyeballs with study material, it may be easy to forget to eat. Or maybe you’re losing your appetite because of stress. Either way, not eating is going to do the opposite of help you get through finals. Your brain needs food! And don’t just rely on whatever snack foods are within reach either. I’m not going to harp on you about the importance of maintaining a well-balanced diet, just do it.
2. Don’t overdo the caffeine
I’ll admit, I’m probably going to be spending the majority of finals week asking for an IV to inject caffeine directly into my body. But nothing is worse than when you’re sitting in the middle of an exam after drinking too much coffee. Crowded lecture hall, never-ending jitters, clammy, sweaty palms, and a headache and ears buzzing signaling the first stage of your crash. Didn’t do too well on the last exam I took like that. I’m not saying to completely abstain from ingesting anything and everything that contains caffeine. I actually don’t think it would be physically possible to make it through finals without it. But, downing cup after cup of coffee or multiple Redbulls is just not a good idea. If you’re drinking too much caffeine then you’re just going to feel like crap. And no one wants to take their finals feeling like crap.
3. Sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!
I know, it’s a foreign concept. But we all know how important sleep is for performance. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve taken a test and spent the entire time nodding off (AP Bio exam senior year of high school was a train wreck). Personally, my brain shuts down and makes me sleep when I’m stressed, so I usually get as much sleep as possible at stressful times like this. Do yourself a favor and designate times to give your brain a break or else you’re going to feel like you’re short-circuiting.
4. Believe in yourself!
Whatever you do, don’t go into an exam doubting yourself. The more you believe in yourself and the fact that you can do it, the better you’re going to do. A negative mindset can do incredible damage. Don’t let that damage be your grade. And, this is only one week in our lives my dudes!! Think about how quickly normal weeks can pass. Same deal. So, when the going gets rough, just remember that you really are going to make it out alive in the end. For better or for worse, it’ll all be over eventually.
