November, that special month of the year for college students because not only is it the halfway mark of the semester (don’t worry, Winter break is only about a month away now), but it’s also the time when everyone’s stress levels hit their absolute peak.

If you weren’t already worried about all the various papers, quizzes, or future exams, November is the time to really start worrying about them because guess what?! They’re more than likely due in November. And, now that most of you are coming to the realization that November is about to get a whole lot worse, you might be wondering how the hell you’re going to survive.

Well, fortunately, as someone who has been dealing with the dreaded midterm season for a while now, I do have some pretty good advice for all of you reading this. Goodbye and good luck!

1. Don’t Put Everything Off Until The Last Minute.

I know this might sound a little crazy, but just hear me out. If you know you have a huge project or paper due in maybe two weeks or so, perhaps the best thing to do isn’t to wait until the last freaking minute to start it. Not only will it save you from a stress-induced heart attack, but also your assignment will come out ten times better if you do a little bit of it here and there. As someone who would consider themselves a major procrastinator, I have to say, especially for you seniors reading this, it’s just better to start your assignment earlier. You don’t have to do much; maybe if you just create the document on your computer, or you figure out exactly what you’re going to do, it can feel like a huge weight has been lifted off your shoulders. Just doing little bits and pieces at a time can help out a whole bunch in the long run.

2. Make Study Guides.

Sometimes, making something like a study guide can help out a whole lot. Nine times out of ten, your professor will give you a list or tell you what exactly is going to be on the exam. Creating your own study guide based off that can help narrow down what you’ll actually have to know and will make the material load seem a lot less terrifying if you break it up into specific sections.

3. Don’t Cram/Pull All-Nighters.

The worst thing to do to yourself is to try and learn all the materials the night before an exam or to pull an all-nighter. Not only will you most likely have a mental breakdown, but also staying up all hours of the night trying to learn won’t help at all because you’ll most likely be too tired to even remember anything the next day. If you really haven’t had the time to study, just go to bed really early the night before and get up super early the day of the exam. Not only will you be refreshed and ready to roll, but you’ll also be able to grasp the material a lot more if you’ve rested both mind and body.

4. Try To Remove All Distractions.

For me, personally, when I’m writing a paper, studying for an exam, or just doing regular old homework, I always silence my phone. I know it might seem like an impossible feat, but if you’re constantly checking your phone for text messages or Snaps, you’re just going to end up focusing more on that than really trying to do productive work. Instead, plan for little breaks in between the work. If you’re feeling like you’re no longer absorbing anymore of the information, take a break to relax. If you’re just getting sick of it all and are ready to chuck your book or laptop out the window, take a break. There’s also no use in trying to persist in doing work if you’re getting frustrated or are just getting tired.

5. Try To Eat Lots of Brain-Food.

If you’re getting a serious case of the munchies while studying or are just looking for a snack, try to eat something healthy: your brain will thank you for it. If you’re looking for something sweet, go for some fruits like apples, strawberries, blueberries, etc. If you want something salty, go with peanut butter, cheese, or maybe even some vegetables if you’re feeling really crazy. And, if you’re a little hungrier than that, pair some things together: apples and cheese/peanut butter or strawberries and some dark chocolate. Eating healthy, even during mid-terms/exam seasons, can do a whole lot of good for your brain.

6. Relax.

Once everything is over and done with and you’ve officially turned everything in, it’s time to treat yo self! Make some plans to go out with your friends or significant other to just hang out and relax. It’s not a bad thing to have some fun after having spent so much time doing boring work. Celebrate your survival…and then start planning for finals…