If you are like me, then right after Thanksgiving break begins the countdown to the Winter Holiday break. The only thing standing between me and Christmas decorating my bedroom at home are those pesky final exams. Unavoidable, they can be the bane of any student's existence, causing all-nighters, social isolation, and unimaginable levels of stress.
Finals are rarely easy and prepping for them while trying to maintain a normal, healthy life is nearly impossible. After an incredibly heavy workload last year, going h ome for Thanksgiving was barely enjoyable because of all the work waiting for me back at school. That's why this year, I've set up a few strategies to handling exams in a way that may reduce stress and make study time as efficient as possible and offer them as advise to you.
One big decision I've made this year is to spend a few extra days on campus rather than going straight home for Thanksgiving. If your home is anything like mine, it is hardly a place for productive studying. Last year, I had to go to Starbucks and work because of how crazy my family was driving me. Even then, an old couple sat next to me at the Starbucks and spent the entire time arguing over what movie to watch that night, so I wasn't too productive there either. But in a quiet dorm, with no family or friends to pester or tempt you, there's useful time to be spent creating study guides and working on take-home tests, essays, and projects. Sure staying on campus may cut Thanksgiving break a little short, but when you come back for finals, you'll already have had a head start.
During the actual week of finals, the college I attend offers study breaks through organizations offering free food every night, usually in the form of donuts, pizza, and pancakes. Also, sometimes the local animal shelter brings cats and dogs for students to play with and destress. If your school offers these study breaks, don't go to them just because they are available. Earn them by studying hard in study groups, adding paragraphs to essays, or making flash cards. Procrastinating and then taking a "study break" just don;t go together. Work hard and then give yourself a reward you deserve.
One last strategy I plan to do and advise others is to write up an "exam plan." This means creating a checklist of everything you need to do each day before and during finals, including study breaks. Write in each class you will be studying for, how much you need to add to each essay, and how many chapters you need to recap. If you're like me, even write in exercise breaks. There's something so satisfying about writing up something so organizing and then checking off or slashing through it all with a brightly colored pen.
Finals are not easy but they don't have to be as scary as they are, not when you go into them with a plan. That's what I'm trying this year and maybe, just maybe, it will be the breeziest finals week I've ever had.
