How To Survive Finals

With only a month left of spring semester and the anticipation of summer around the corner, it is hard to focus on finals with all that is upon us. Some are graduating and it’s harder to concentrate on school than ever and some are planning summer vacations or lining those summer internships. 

With whatever plans you have for summer, don’t forget to study for those finals.  Here are some tips to survive that dreaded finals week.

            Manage your time wisely. It sounds easier said than done. You’re finding yourself crunched for time and have to make that choice with yourself what is more important, going out to the frat party with all of your sorority sisters or staying in and studying to get that “A” on your final. To manage your time better, you could create a schedule and list everything you have for the week and break it down by what is most important and go from there. You may not have time for everything, but that is when it comes for you to decide what is most important for your future, you’re in college for a reason and sometimes we forget the reason we came to college.

            Don’t procrastinate.  Another thing that is much easier said than done.  Being in college it is very to leave things done for the last minute. With the social life to keep up and all the studying and extra projects there are to do, it is easy to lose track of what needs to be done and when. What helps me is keeping everything I need to do in a planner and categorize it by what is most important and go from there. It’s better to start studying for finals now when they are a month away, instead of waiting the night before. It’ll be less stress on you when the time comes and will probably get you the better grade.

            Caffeine will be your best friend. If caffeine isn’t already your best friend in college, than you’re not doing college right. Pulling “all nighters” are must at times and for finals week they may just have to be done more than once that week. Don’t overload on caffeine though and drink the right stuff such as coffee, green tea, or black tea.

            Utilize that 24/7 library. Some may say that the 24/7 library was only designed with finals in mind, in that case make as much use of it as possible. Instead of studying in your dorm room or sorority house all night, get a group of friends and head to the library. You’ll be surprised how much more productive you can be in a library.

            Find those study buddies.  If you haven’t gotten to know much people in your classes, now is definitely the time to do so.  Strike up conversations about finals and ask they advice on how they study or create study groups with those fellow classmates. Studying in groups will ease the stress of finals and help you get that “A” you’ve been working hard all semester for.

            With these tips hopefully when finals roll around for you, it won’t be as chaotic and as stressful as you thought it would be. Staying positive and going in on exam day knowing you have studied as much as possible is the best you can do. And may the curve be ever in your favor.