The end of the semester is always awful. It feels like it stretches on forever, but then when finals week comes, we wonder how the semester went by so fast. If you're like me, you wait until the last second to study for all your finals and then wonder why you're so stressed out. Here are some tips on how to de-stress during the weeks before finals and how to end the semester strong.

1. You know more than you think you know.

As a previous Psychology major, I know that humans do, in fact, know more than we think we do when it comes to memorization. Just because we don't think we know all the information about a certain subject because we can't remember it off the top of heads doesn't mean we have completely forgotten it. For example, you may think you don't know a certain topic at all, but when you see it on the exam, you'll remember most of it (if you were there in class that day).

2. Sleep.

Don't ever jeopardize sleep for studying. If you're like the typical student right before finals, you'll skip out on studying to study, study, study. Sleep is so important for brain function, so set aside just a few hours for studying but don't over do it by staying up until 2 AM in the library.

3. Think about the end result.

All that studying will pay off. If you want to pass with flying colors and you've been studying and doing all of your school work, know that it'll pay off. These next few weeks might be busy, but think about the GPA that will be staring back at you on your permanent transcript and you'll be surely motivated to keep working. Think about finally being done with the semester and being able to relax and not pick up a single text book for 3 whole months.

4. Treat yo'self.

As Tom Haverford in Parks and Rec once said, "treat yo'self". Maybe it's just me, but whenever I'm having a rough week, I treat myself to some sweets. It motivates me to keep going. Rewarding yourself is so important for your mental health.

While these tips seem so simple, they can really be beneficial to your mental health. Before over-stressing about your grades, take a minute to wind down and follow these steps. When you feel like giving up, think about why you're even in college in the first place. It all pays off.