As a senior, I'm fully aware of the struggles I'm going to experience during finals week. I kissed my "normal" sleeping schedule goodbye weeks ago, and I'm stocked up on note cards and energy drinks. Not that anyone can really master finals week, but I'd consider myself a pro at this by now. So I'm here to teach you my ways to at least survive finals.
This won't guarantee an A, but at least you'll kinda be alive by the time you get your grade.
Pre-Finals Sleep.
This might be the most important thing you do. The night before you start your binge studying, sleep. Like, for as long as possible. I once slept all day because I knew finals were coming. Go to the store, buy some ZzzQuil, take the whole bottle if you need. Do whatever it takes to get some rest. You'll need it.
Energy Drinks.
If you plan on staying up all night, or for several days straight like me, you might as well stock up now. Energy drinks are way more efficient than coffee. Personally, I get caffeine from any source possible, but all I drink during finals is Monster Zero Ultra. I'm pretty sure, at one point, my tears and sweat were Monster.
Staying Warm.
The library at my school confuses itself with a freezer, so it's always about -12,948 degrees in there. I look pretty dumb dressed like I'm about to go into the Arctic tundra when it's 85 degrees outside, but it's normal to see people in oversized sweatshirts and fuzzy socks during finals. Having three tests, two papers, and a project is bad enough, so you might as well be comfortable, right?
Adderall.
OK, so this really only applies to people like myself who were #blessed with ADD. But seriously, it's a lifesaver. If you're unfortunate enough to actually have an attention span, I feel bad for you. I'm not going to tell you to take medicine that's not yours, because, well, that's illegal. But just pray that you develop this disorder overnight or something.
Snacks.
This one's pretty self-explanatory. You'll be hungry at 3 a.m., and nothing will be open. It's also a such a hassle having to leave to go get food, especially when you have a spot in the library near an outlet plug, so I highly suggest having Delivery Dudes on speed dial. Finals hack: pack frozen Uncrustables, and they'll be thawed out by the time you're hungry.
Friends.
Picking the right friend to study with is difficult, but I've found that studying with people tends to make me more productive. That is, if the friend is also being productive. I'm extra lucky to have friends who will pull all-nighters with me, even after they're finished with their finals, just to make sure I survived.
Alcohol.
Yup, you read that right. Alcohol. Now I don't mean bring a handle of vodka to the library and get drunk, but like, one beer. Finals week stresses you out beyond a point that anyone could handle. It makes you question your sanity. Unless you have a bottle of Xanax, you'll need a way to just relax for a minute. This is where the alcohol comes in. Taking a study break and going to the bar to have a beer will relax you just enough to be able to finish that 12-page paper.
