With the end of the semester drawing near it can be hard to fix yourself together so that all your assignments and final projects are done in time. After spring break and midterms, it will definitely feel like the semester is flying by, so I've summed up a few tips that always help me with that end of the year fight to the finish.

1. Check your syllabus

It's vital that you're aware of any upcoming assignments and their deadlines. You've all gotten the syllabus during the first week of class and if you missed it, your professor most definitely posted it online and expects to stay on schedule. Try to plan ahead and figure out how to manage your time wisely between upcoming homework, presentations, and studying for finals.

2. Stay healthy(-ish)

It's important that you're getting enough sleep so that your body can rest and recuperate from stress as well have time to store the important information that you spent so much time practicing and learning.

And yes, coffee is an essential element to surviving those late nights, but it's also good to make sure that you're drinking plenty of water and eating right in between your mugs of black death or whatever sugar-infused, syrupy concoction that Starbucks is spitting out.

3. Embrace the rough days

There are going to be days when you're tired and stressed and simply want to scream and just quit it all. When those days come, that is the best time to take a step back and resituate yourself. Nothing productive will come out of you being in a worked up state. Put your work away for the moment and breathe. If you're feeling antsy, go for a walk or head to the rec center to work out the stress. Feeling overwhelmed?

Distract yourself with a long shower or listen to some music in a new environment. Are you feeling a bit lonely? Text your friends and see if they want to study together, or call your family and check in with them and just talk for a while. If you are at a place where you feel like you can take a break and go out for a bit and have some fun, that's fantastic. Whatever you need to do to decompress and get back on track: do it. You'll feel so much better afterward and be much more motivated to get back to business.

4. Visit office hours

Please, please, please go to office hours for your professor if you ever find yourself struggling to get a concept. They are there to help you and even in the worst-case scenario, they'll appreciate that you took the time and effort to invest more in your studies.

It can be a bit scary or intimidating to go talk to a professor one-on-one, but most, if not all of them, take the time to accommodate your schedule and do their best to make sure that you understand what's happening in class. Also, you gain the advantage of getting a different perspective than what is being taught in class which might be able to help you understand the material better.

5. Focus on the finish line

That sounds so cliche, but it's appropriate. At the end of the day, you're here for you and you alone and you're going to be the one to push yourself through all the obstacles that will be in your path. If you're not sure what you want to do after school, that's fine. You don't need to have a long-term goal in mind.

Start with smaller steps. Focus on finishing the best you can in that class that's been beating you down this semester. Take the time to talk your advisor or visit the Career Center if you want to look into internships or job opportunities. It can be even personal things like trying to keep your workspace from getting too cluttered or making sure you eat three meals a day. Just do the best that you are capable of and be proud of what you have accomplished.

Hang in there everyone and good luck with the last several weeks of school!