Alright, so for those who are in college/were in college, we've all experienced the overwhelming stress of finals week. For some twisted reason, all of your professors decided to drop projects, papers and exams that end up being a majority of your semester grade; and you get the pleasure of doing it all in a week. But never fear, as stressed out as you might be, here are a few things that everyone needs to keep in mind when trudging through finals week:
Sleep is extremely important.
Everyone assumes that if you spend all night studying, whether it be the night before the exam or even days before, that you'll retain more information and that it will help you do better. Wrong! It's a proven fact that lack of sleep has the same effect on the body and mind as alcohol does. So unless you want to go into your final in the same physical state as when you are drunk (without the alcohol of course), sleep is definitely mandatory.
Quality not quantity.
Don't think that just because you're putting all day into studying for an exam that you're going to do better than the person next to you. You could spend all day studying but completely distracted, and what good will that do you? Prioritize what you need to study and go from there. Don't just try to cram everything into your brain at once, it's like trying to shove a hundred people through a tiny door all at once.
Take a break.
As good as staying on task feels, the high levels of stress aren't good for your ability to retain information. It's proven that a decent amount of stress helps the brain operate at its maximal capacity; too high or too low of stress actually inhibits the brain's ability to retain information. And as bad as it sounds, go ahead and take a break or even go out one night with friends! As bad as it sounds, and as bad of a student you might feel or look like, it will help your overall mental health in addition to your ability to retain information. So go ahead, take a Netflix break or go out and have a couple drinks with your friends -- always balance out the "work and play" in your life.
Hugs not drugs.
Even though taking ADD or ADHD medication like Adderall to help you study sounds like a fantastic and genius idea, it's really not a good idea at all. You might think that it will help you focus and that you will remember everything that you study, but in reality medications and drugs have different effects on people. The dosage that you buy off your friend might be the perfect amount to help them focus, but can either be too little or too much for you. So instead of wasting your money and risking being up for 42 straight hours, make sure to balance out sleep, food and even some caffeine to help you stay focused instead.
C's don't get the good degree.
Everyone's favorite motto is "C's get degrees," and yes that is true. A "C" is technically a passing grade and will get you to that baseline degree that you're striving for, but in the long run, it doesn't look good to future employers or graduate school programs. Many good programs, such as the ones at the "Name-Brand Colleges" such as Syracuse, UNC, OSU and many others, will gladly toss your application into the "wait list" pile or even reject your application because you settled for that "C" instead of working hard for a better grade. So as lazy as you feel, do not let it consume you.
So keep these things in mind, stay focused and hit the books hard because as bad as finals week actually does suck, you are more than capable of passing and getting through to your vacation!
