1. Feel overwhelmed

We have a lot to do, and only a few weeks to do it. We start to worry we cannot get it all done. Why would the university even give me permission to take this many credits? That’s just cruel! It’s hard to think of how to get started on studying, and a lot of the time, I get stuck in this first stage for a few days before I feel able to get anything done.

2. Find a surge of inspiration

When you find those few minutes, hours, days/ whatever time you manage to feel inspired, you take it in stride and get going. The feeling is insane- you can do anything! You’re a superhero. You’re the best student in the class, even though you’ve only gotten a C+ this far in the semester.

3. Get distracted

Why study when there’s clearly a pressing issue going on? After all, my phone has vibrated TWICE. I have to check it. I need to check my Facebook. In fact, I should call my grandma while I’m at it. I need to do anything but this paper. I can do it in an hour, tomorrow, or….well, I’ll figure it out and get it done somehow.

4. Have some sort of breakdown

This stage comes in the form of crying, screaming, throwing a textbook, or something more innocent like snapping at a family member or friend or completely blow off a class to sleep more because DANG IT, you deserve to have a break from this never ending stress. This step can also take the opposite form and you don’t sleep for two days, watching The Office for the fifth time and not focusing on anything because your stress is stressed about how stressed you’re feeling and you know you’ll pick it up eventually, but you just need a little more time to make sure your mental health is good.

Steps 1-4 can repeat themselves as often as time and sanity levels permit, though eventually, we all have to reach that last step. We get down to work and finally….

5. Crush finals/ Seek World Domination

This is the moment you’ve waited your whole semester for. You might be nervous or stressed or completely relaxed, but regardless, this finals season has not gotten the best of you and you’ve managed to work through the terror and get something done. You are, in fact, a god, and you’ve withstood the ultimate tests of student life. And now you get to relax and reward yourself for all your hard work and persistence (whether you’ve been doing well all semester or not).

Go forth and conquer, my fellow students. We got this.

Tell me more about your finals prep in the comments below!