If you have never experienced a finals week, I'm jealous. Not only do you survive off of caffeine, live in the library, and wear the same clothes every day, but if you do not prepare successfully, your results are not favorable. Despite the awfulness that is finals week, I have laid out some tips I've picked up along the way of the worst week in college history. Take notes and reload your Starbucks card immediately.

1. Actually sleep.

Not only do I need to take my own advice here, but if you're stuck with multiple finals ESPECIALLY on the same day do yourself a favor and skip the all-nighter. When I first got to college I genuinely did not sleep during my first finals week. You can only study so much. Start early.

2. Make outlines.

We all have that one class (or two..or three) that has an excessive amount of information that you simply cannot memorize and get down within a week. Skimming notes can only get you so far in terms of understanding the information. Writing down previously copied notes is proven to be one of the best ways to memorize highly detailed facts. For classes like biology, where for some reason or another you have to know every element of a plant, outlines can save you so much time...which leads to the next and largest problem of finals week.

3. Do not undermine the time you spend studying.

These tests are a large chunk of your final grade and, in most cases, they will make or break your GPA. Give yourself at least a week to prepare. There is nothing wrong with too much time studying. It is better to start early and slowly. Coming into college, some students state how they genuinely did not study in high school and did fine. Unfortunately, if you do that now you most likely will fail. Studying the night before won't get you anywhere.

4. Don't burn yourself out.

You need to pace yourself when studying for these exams. There is such thing as too much studying. When I need a break, I typically watch a show for an hour. This not only refreshes me, but I often feel prepared to study once again. Make sure you don't take an excessive break... that'll only do more bad than good.

Sadly, these tests are practically tied to a college degree. You just have to take them in order to graduate. If you do it right, however, It can be less painful. In addition, it is important to remember that hard work truly pays off. If you prepare enough, you could see yourself on Dean's List.