Before we can get to the best time of the year, we have to survive one of the worst times; finals week. At this point, we have all calculated what we have to get on our finals to pass or get a certain grade in our classes. Those numbers are circulating in our heads and we feel exhausted and anxious. Here are some tips to finish this semester strong so that we can enjoy Christmas break.

1. Know What You Need To Focus On

The first thing you need to do to prepare for finals week is to know when your finals are. Prioritize what you need to study when. Like you probably shouldn't study for your last final first. Put your finals and their times on your calendar. This gives you the chance to see what other events or club meetings you will have finals week so you can prioritize your time. Make sure you make plenty of time to study and write essays but don't forget to focus on yourself.

2. Don't Try To Do It All At Once

By now we all know that studying for 12 hours straight won't help anything. So take the time to sleep in, study for 2-4 hours, eat lunch, study some more, eat dinner, study more, eat ice cream, and review before you go to bed. You can try setting a timer so you force yourself to study so much material before it goes off. Then take a 5-10 minute break to stretch and refresh.

3. Snacks Are The Key To Success

While studying for finals we will all consume unhealthy amounts of coffee and energy drinks and that is okay as long as we balance it out. As cliche as it sounds, make sure to drink water. Personally, I try to drink one glass of water for every cup of coffee I drink. This way your kidneys won't shut down and your body can actually convert the food you eat into energy.

Speaking of which, some of my favorite study snacks are oranges and dark chocolate. When you're stressed your immune system is weakened so oranges give you Vitamin C to combat that as well as a simple sugar that gives you energy. Dark chocolate gives you a healthy, sweet treat that you don't have to feel guilty about. You earned it.

4. Don't Forget What Really Matters

Yes, this is a stressful time, but this will be your last chance to see some of your friends for a month. Chances are they will want to take a study break too so make time to hang out with them and watch a movie or play video games. There are plenty of Christmas movies on TV so make sure you guys aren't missing out. It's okay to close your textbook and reconnect with the world for a while.