Finals week can be a stressful time. What should or shouldn't we be doing to survive exams? Everyone has their own study regiments and tricks. Every person prepares for finals differently. The following list is eight methods to surviving the stress of finals week!

1. Eat well.

A healthy body is a healthy mind. If you want your brain to work at top capacity, it only makes sense that eating nutritiously will have a positive affect on your studies. It can be tempting during stressful times, like finals week, to put aside that turkey sandwich and reach for the popcorn and ice cream. Don't. As tempting as all the salt and sugar is, your stomach will not be grateful. Your mind needs brain food, not over-processed junk food.

2. Chocolate helps with memory.

I know I just said to eat healthy, but now I am telling you to eat chocolate. Eating dark chocolate has been shown to reduce stress and help to improve memory. Plus, its delicious.

3. Avoid all-nighters.

Do not pull all-nighters. Start your studies earlier and try to get at least six hours of sleep a night during exam week. But, if necessary, you can wake up early to brush up an a few things. Just like with chocolate, sleep helps your brain retain all the information you've been cramming for hours on end. So. Remember: sleep is key!

4. Take (small) study breaks.

Whether you take an hour off to de-stress and watch funny cat videos, or you take a five minute mini-break to just breathe deep -- giving your brain a break can help the learning process go smoother. Little breaks give your brain a chance to catch up.

5. Have lunch and dinner dates with friends.

You don't have to stop studying if you're on a roll, but taking a half hour to feed your body will keep your mind and body going. Having your friends around to support you and study alongside you helps life the Doomsday-like mentality that finals can bring on.

6. Mix it up.

If you start getting overwhelmed with a subject, take a step back. You can't always afford to come to a complete stop, though. To keep the momentum going, try studying for a different class. Come back to the difficult topics when you've had a chance to recover.

7. Bribe yourself.

If there is a particular topic that you just do not want to review, try making deals with yourself. "Study philosophy for two hours, then you can have frozen yogurt," or, "Plan your English essay before dinner today, and you can watch an episode of Big Bang Theory on Netflix later."

8. Exercise.

What's better than a bit of exercise to get your blood pumping and endorphins rushing through your body? Exercise gives your brain a chance to relax, give your body an outlet during the stress of finals!