It's almost that time of the semester! Finals week is dreaded by most, but for those lucky few, it's a breeze. I remember my very first finals week in college; I felt overwhelmed and had a break down almost every night while studying. As time got on, it certainly got easier as I learned tips from professors and classmates, and soon enough, I was able to (almost) conquer finals week, although I still get nervous sometimes. If you are a college freshman who is heading into your very first finals week, don't be afraid! I have some tips that may help you survive.

1. Take good notes

Even if your professor says you don't have to write anything down, do it anyway! You never know, it could be a bonus question which could help you make up points you think you lost on the exam.

2. Use notecards

Highlighting your notes and re-writing them over and over are good tactics to use, but can take forever and may cause hand cramps. I recommend using notecards! Since they are 3 by 5, it forces you to pick out the main points. You can even shuffle them up and carry them with you to study wherever you are. One of my high school history teachers taught me this method and I still use it to this day, in my second-to-last semester of college. Shout out to you, Mr. Dierks.

3. Make a study guide

Usually, professors don't give out study guides, but they usually do have review days and give you a pretty solid idea of what is going to be on the exam. If you are like me and you need a visual outline of what you think the test is going to be over, highlight the most important points in your notes and make yourself a study guide!

4. Plan or go to a study group

If some people in your classes are talking about meeting at Starbucks to study, you should definitely go if you're able to! Study groups are the perfect time to get your questions cleared up because chances are, someone may have the same question you do.

5. Go to the section tutors

At most universities, there are usually one or two tutors in every subject who can help answer your questions. If you feel embarrassed by asking your friends these questions, find out who your tutor is and get in touch with them.

6. Go to your professor's office

If study groups aren't your thing and you don't want to head to a tutor, you can always sit down one-on-one with your professor in their office! They won't think you're stupid or incompetent for asking questions, they are there to help you! And as I said in number four, chances are, someone has the same questions that you do.

7. Make a quizlet set

This goes in hand with number two if you don't have any notecards handy. Quizlet is an online tool that you can use to make a study set, an interactive study game and even view study sets that other students have made. If you haven't yet I highly recommend checking out Quizlet!

8. Get plenty of sleep

I don't mean to be cliche, but getting plenty of rest the night before an exam can help you focus and may even help you perform better on your exam! Hit the sheets and count those sheep!

9. Eat a good breakfast

I may just be sounding like somebody's mother here, but how can you focus on an empty stomach, especially when it's making whale noises?

10. Believe in yourself

You're going to do great! I believe in you.