The semester has come to and end and it is just about time to kick back, relax, and see how many hours a day it is humanly possible to sleep. But before the Christmas time celebrations commence, one more obstacle has to be met: finals week. We all know it, we all hate it, and we all seem to reach rock bottom each semester at some point during this week. Since we never seem to learn our lesson on how to handle finals week, here are a few reminders of how to come out alive.

1. C’s get degrees

It never seems like the best outlook, but when things aren’t going right, you cannot let the stress of one tough class bring you down.

2. Take advantage of finals activities

Free yoga classes at the rec? Stress puppies in the library? Breakfast at midnight in the cafeteria? Take advantage of everything your campus offers. Exam week is demanding in many aspects, and taking a break to relax can make or break your day.

3. Study in the state you’re in for the exam

If you’re going to be hyped up on caffeine while studying, don’t forget your grande peppermint mocha on your way to class.

4. Don’t forget a pencil

There is literally nothing worse than sitting down to a scantron and not having a pencil. Unlike high school, asking a pencil from a professor or classmate doesn’t go over quite as well.

5. Your first guess is the best guess

It happens to the best of us, spending five minutes staring at possible answers hoping the answer will magically appear. Chances are you will end up wasting too much time on the questions you don’t know. Follow your gut instinct and don’t second guess yourself. And if all else fails, you can always pick C.

6. Write it down

Your mother wasn’t just trying to ruin your life, writing everything down really does help you remember the material. Taking the time to rewrite lecture notes is never how anyone wants to spend their Friday night, but will pay off in the long run.

7. Schedule it out

Sit down with your planner well before exam week and plan out exactly when and where you’re going to have time to study for each class. That way none of your exams get put on the back burner and turn into your GPA’s worst nightmare.

8. Don’t compromise your sleep schedule

Coffee may be able to work magic, but it doesn’t quite compare to a good night of rest. While planning out study time, leave enough room for a full eight hours of sleep and wake up refreshed and ready for each day.

9. Study in intervals

DO NOT CRAM. Cramming never works, instead take short intervals and allow yourself to take brain breaks. Covering a lot of material should be done over the course of multiple days, even weeks.

10. Don’t forget: It’s only one week

Though it is the most stressful week of the semester, just remember that it is only one week. No matter how badly you think you won’t make it till through to the end of the week, you will. The world will keep spinning, and you’ll have to keep trucking on with it.