Since I'm a junior in college, I can say that I've had my fair share of mental breakdowns during finals week, and I’m not afraid to admit it. Sometimes the entire semester feels like one giant mental breakdown. If you’ve ever spent more than two hours in the library and still felt like you’ve accomplished nothing, you get it. Finals week is rough, your professors haven’t posted grades in over three weeks, and you’re not sure if your final paper will be the difference between making Dean’s list or prompting a GPA landslide. You’re in the homestretch of the semester and the feeling of home is so close that you can almost taste it… but not quite yet.

Besides getting a peppermint mocha cappuccino from Starbucks, there are a couple of other things that I’ve encountered that have helped make a difference in not only my performance, but my mental state during finals week. As the heat of finals boils inside of you like a tea kettle, it’s up to you to make sure that the pressure doesn’t get to the point of screaming. Breakdowns aren’t inevitable. They can be prevented (or in the worst case, managed.) Here are just a few tips for your finals week survival guide. Hopefully this will help you avoid having a mental breakdown… again.

Skip the party, go to sleep

Heading into finals week, it’s important to put your sleep schedule on a pedestal. The excuse of trying to make the most of your college experience has been played out and overused since the beginning of college existence. It’s tempting to use the last few weeks of school as an excuse to go out with your friends and end the semester in a “bang,” but is it really worth jeopardizing your sleep, and struggling to stay awake in class?

Finals are demanding. They are worth a large percentage of your grade and they drain all of the energy out of you. Making a sleep schedule and going to bed relatively early is not lame, unheard of in college, or impossible, sometimes it’s necessary. So if you haven’t been getting a reasonable amount of rest up to this point, now is the appropriate time to start. So skip the party, go to sleep.

The gym is your new best friend

The benefits of exercise are endless. If you have yet to hit the gym this semester, now is a great time to check out what part of your tuition pays for! Making the gym your best friend during finals week is never a bad idea. You may feel as though finals are taking up all of your time, but you’d be surprised how much time you have when you manage it more efficiently. Instead of hanging out with your friends during free period, go to the gym and try walking on the treadmill, or use the elliptical.

Throw your headphones in and spend an hour forgetting about all of the stress on your plate. Personally, I find that whenever I workout, I not only feel better about myself, but I have more energy and I am more motivated to finish the tasks in front of me! Exercise isn't just a motivator. It also tires out your muscles and helps you sleep better at night. So if you previously wrote off the first tip because you have difficulty falling asleep at night, consider hitting the gym before doing so. You will not be sorry.

Water, water, and more water!

At this point in the semester, if you told me your blood didn’t consist of at least 85% coffee, I would think that you were lying. Instead of grabbing a $5 coffee from Starbucks on your way to the library or class, consider filling up a bottle of water to keep you hydrated. We often underestimate the greatness that can come from drinking enough water, and think that coffee is the only solution to relieving fatigue. Drinking plenty of water flushes out the toxins in your body, increases your energy, and improves your complexion! You can never regret drinking enough water. As you know, it does keep you alive.

Email/meet with your professor, even if you don't like them

You’ve probably had to deal with a few professors at this point that just rubbed you the wrong way. No matter how much you study for their quizzes, they never seem to have anything familiar on them. Or your professor lectures for two hours straight to the point that your brain is completely fried by the time you leave class. I do suggest that you become close with your professors throughout the semester.

Even if you haven’t had a chance to see their office yet, now is a great time to do so. Ask them questions in regards to what they expect on the final, and different approach methods that they recommend for you to get a passing grade. Pointers from those that are grading your assignments are never a bad idea! Plus, I am sure you would gain a lot of respect if you showed the initiative to get a passing grade. Don’t be afraid to slide into your professors “DM’s” during finals week.

Manage your time, build a schedule

If you haven’t attempted to reorganize your entire life this semester by building a planner or at least reevaluating your time, then I would assume that you probably didn’t have a mid-semester breakdown. Or maybe you’re naturally organized, and in that case, I would consider you lucky. Managing your time more efficiently leads to getting your work done more effectively. Build a schedule and follow it thoroughly.

Of course, sometimes you’re going to have to move things around when last-minute activities pop up, but try to be as dedicated to your schedule as you are to your Snapchat streaks. Finals can sidetrack you and make you forget about other important things that you have going on in your life (or maybe it’s just the other way around). Creating a schedule on when you’re going to study, work out, or go to sleep is never a bad idea. If you always make schedules and just have difficulty following them, consider the things that you’re prioritizing in place of that, and move things around so that way you're making the most of your time, and not wasting it hanging out in the lounge, or binge-watching Netflix in your room. Don’t worry. We’ve all been there.