10 Ways To Mentally Prepare Yourself For Finals Week

1. I can't emphasize this enough, get your sleep in!

I get it; you want to stay up and watch that one season you needed to catch up on, or maybe you believe that you will have more time to prepare for your test by staying up late.

Well, you're wrong!

It's proven that when you go to bed early, your brain has to chance to recharge itself, which means you have a better chance of remembering those concepts you studied before.

So make sure you get some shut-eye so that you're well-rested.

2. Set up a study plan at least three weeks before your finals.

To get yourself ready for finals week, set up a study plan for crushing those exams!

Figure out when you will study and how many hours you will dedicate yourself to each one!

I suggest going through your courses and ranking yourself based on where you are to know what to study first.

3. Reach out for help before it's too late!

Struggling with a concept that you still haven't mastered? Or just plain confused about a passage of text that you have been reading over and over again for the past 30 minutes? Reach out for help!

This could be either going to office hours or a tutoring center, where they can try their best to help you with your situation. It's better to get help now than leaving it to the last minute!

4. Take breaks when they are needed.

Remember to take breaks whenever you feel like you are overwhelmed!

The last thing that you would want is your brain to be too fried from being able to remember anything.

5. Make sure that you are hydrated before an exam.

Take the time to get yourself a cup of water before an exam; it can help you focus more clearly and allows your body to replenish itself.

6. Test yourself in order to see where you are.

Make sure to test yourself after each study session to see if you can grasp what you have reviewed.

Get a friend who can test you by using flashcards, or use Quizlet if you cannot find someone.

7. Use your textbook to your advantage!​

In each section of the textbook, there is a list of questions that tests you over that section's content. Use that if you are confused about what you need to focus on.

8. Review your class notes every day.

Set yourself a time where you review the notes that you have just taken in class. Ensure that you understand what you have written and reach out to your classmates if there is anything that you do not understand.

9. Don't cram the night before!

Set yourself at least 60-90 minutes a day to dedicate the time needed to study for your exam. Set up a plan on what you are going to focus on for each section.

10. Do not multi-task while you are studying.

As much as we believe that we can do everything at once, it's not the most efficient. Our brains can generally focus on one thing so when you are studying, make sure that you are focusing on just one subject rather than studying different sections, which can make it harder to grasp all the concepts.