The Pomodoro Technique is a study method that involves studying in intervals. According to this technique, you study for 20- to 25 minutes, and then take a short break called a ‘pomodoro.' After three of four ‘pomodoros' you take a longer break. Many students find that this method increases productivity and focus, but personally I am the type of person who likes to plow through and just get things done. Whether or not you prefer to take frequent ‘pomodoros’ or stare at a screen until your eyes pop out, everyone needs a way to decompress during finals, so here are a few ideas of things to do that won’t derail your studying.

1. Organize

I cannot focus if there are things cluttering my desk, so I like to take a moment even before getting started to organize the items in front of me. Putting things away as well as giving them a specific place to begin with will help keep your study breaks productive as well as eliminate distractions.

2. Work Out

Working out is a great way to get energized and focused. Do a couple sets of squats or a few crunches if you get a little antsy then get back to the books. An extra bonus to exercising is that it releases adrenaline which will help you stay awake if you are studying late into the night

3. Go for a short walk

Walking down the hall of your dorm is great, but try going outside once in a while. Getting some fresh will clear your head when you feel like the words on the page start to swim. Just make sure a quick twenty minute walk doesn’t turn into an hour of procrastinating. Try going out for a quick errand like grabbing ice cream or buying toilet paper.

4. Watch a comedy special

At all costs, do not start a new TV series while you are trying to study, or even rewatch and old one. You tell yourself one episode and the next thing you know the sun has come up and your final is in an hour. A comedy special won’t suck you in like a tv series and usually runs for a little more than an hour. So go ahead, pick from Netflix’s stand-up comedy section, or ask that friend who is obsessed with SNL for a recommendation.

5. Learn to make an origami crane

Take a quick break to teach yourself a new skill. Folding a paper crane takes a few minutes and they are a symbol of wisdom. Plus, some people believe that if you fold enough of them, they will bring good luck. Bonus points for finding cool ways to decorate with them.

6. Bake a cake

For those of us living in dorm rooms this one might be a little more challenging, but there are loads of fun mug cake recipes on the internet that can be made in a microwave.

7. Eat a cake

I’m usually a strong proponent of healthy snacking while studying, but I like to allow the occasional piece of cake, and knowing there is cake on the other end is a strong incentive to finish that last set of math problems.

8. Clean something

Study breaks are a great way to do stuff that you normally procrastinate because after studying for an hour, anything that does not involve a textbook sounds appealing. So take fifteen minutes to sweep your floor, make your bed, and wipe out your microwave, and maybe after all that studying will sound appealing because its not chores.

9. Call your parents

I guarantee they will be happy to hear from you, and it will be a nice distraction to listen to your mom talk about local gossip from home or video chat with your pets. And after all that, go ahead and complain about all the ways this professor doesn’t teach and that TA has it out for you.

10. Meditate

Meditation is a fantastic method to relax and destress during finals. A lot of universities offers meditation through either the mental health office or the center for spirituality, and even if your school doesn’t offer meditation, there’s an app for that.

11. Drink a cup of coffee

Take a short break and enjoy a cup of coffee. My favorite dorm room coffee hack it steaming milk in the microwave. Just fill a glass jar half way with milk and shake well, then microwave for thirty seconds and voila, warm frothy milk for your cup of joe.

12. Take a nap

After drinking that cup of coffee go ahead and take a quick nap. It might seem counter intuitive, but as long as it’s no more than twenty minutes, a nap will help reenergize you and increase focus. The beauty of taking a nap after drinking coffee is that the caffeine will start to kick in after about fifteen minutes and wake you up, but you might want to set an alarm just to be safe.

13. Play a game

If you have a whole study group, suggest taking a break to play a short card game like Spoons, or even better, get outside and play a quick game of Frisbee

14. Read an article

You can go ahead and read a chapter of your favorite book, but if you are anything like me a book quickly goes the same direction as a tv series. Instead I like to have a tab of bookmarked articles or short stories that I have saved to read later so I can pick from one of those during a study break. Just be careful not to fall into a spiral of clicking on imbedded links.

15. Take a shower

Sometimes after sitting at your desk for a long time you start to feel gross, even if you’re not really physically doing anything, so take a nice shower during your next break. Not only will you feel squeaky clean afterwards, but also reinvigorated and ready to tackle another chapter.

Remember, as tempting as it is, don’t check Facebook, or Twitter, or email. These things will likely suck time away and make you feel more tired. Best of luck to everyone as the semesters winds down.