OK everyone, it’s that time of year again. That overwhelmed, over-caffeinated, pull-my-hair-out-I’m-so-stressed time when finals come around. This is by far the most panic-inducing time of the semester, but that doesn’t mean you have to let stress ruin your last weeks at school. Just relax, take it one step at a time, and follow these tips to get through your finals and actually enjoy the end of the semester.

Find the perfect playlist. I don’t know about you, but I study better with some kind of background noise. I use an app called 8tracks which is a website where users can create playlists based around a subject. The “Study” playlists are very relaxing and mostly instrumental — if you (like me) get easily distracted by lyrics. Ambient Mixer is also a website I use. It’s a collection of ambient sound mixes that are usually based on movies, shows or books. So, if you want to study in the Gryffindor common room or read in the comfort of the Shire, this website is worth a visit.

Study in the right environment. I discovered early on that studying in my dorm was not a good thing. Being surrounded by temptations like my books, TV, game system, etc., made it easy to get distracted and procrastinate. Find a place that limits the temptation to blow off work by going to a library or coffee shop. It’s easier to focus in an environment where Netflix is a little bit harder to access.

Find some snacks. One of the biggest lies we tell ourselves is, “I’m just gonna grab a quick snack and go back to studying.” Then we search for a snack and spend 10 minutes rummaging around the fridge. Breaks are fine, but snack runs usually turn into an hour of avoiding textbooks. Planning ahead and putting some granola bars or candy in your bag can mean the difference between an hour spent studying or an hour spent foraging.

Use your time wisely. The best way to maximize productivity and prevent mental burnouts is the 50/10 method. This means doing 50 minutes of something productive followed by a 10-minute break. This method is a great way to break up large projects and keep you motivated with the bribe of ten minutes on Facebook or Pinterest or other fun things. This method has helped me through all of my papers this semester so it has the English major seal of approval!