Finals week. This week can be comparable to taxes and death because it’s completely unavoidable. Technically, you can avoid it by just being prepared to accept an F in the class, but for some people, this is literally a life-or-death situation for your grade if it’s on the edge. It could determine your grade between an A or a B, a B or a C or even passing or failing.

Whichever situation your grade is in currently, here are a few must-have items you need in order to save the semester.

1. Flashcards

Not all of your classes are vocab-heavy, but if you tend to have a lot of must-know terminology, buying a pack of flashcards wouldn’t hurt at all to begin memorizing. If you prefer to go the modern tech route, then Quizlet is the way to go. Quizlet is so much more than just online flashcards; it even offers a variety of games that you can play that help you learn each term.

2. Calendar/Planner

With your to-do list piling up each week leading up to Thanksgiving break and finals week right after, it’s impossible to not have a calendar in handy to keep track of your assignments. Your phone or computer calendar would work fine, but in this instance, having a physical calendar would be best. Writing down your tasks to do and their due dates will allow you to remember them easily, and you'll have them right in front of you. Kudos if you own a planner in which to keep your life together especially during the stress leading up to finals week. Keep in mind: not having a planner doesn’t mean automatic failure. It’s just a huge help when it comes to writing out your day-to-day tasks, whether you have a busy week or not. Need a planner suggestion? Click here!

3. Scantrons

It’s always sad to know that one is responsible for their own scantrons in college. Luckily, some professors get that we’re broke college students and that paying $2.50 for a pack of six scantrons every time you visit the on-campus bookstore can go a long way, so they provide them for us come test time. For those who still have to bring our own just to take some exams, the good thing is that Amazon offers them in bulk for a great price: $5.89 + shipping for a pack of 100. Don’t forget your pencil!

4. Colorful pens & highlighters

When writing in all black or blue pens won’t do it, writing in multiple bright colors allows you to remember things easier depending on what the topic is. Alternating colors can be a great idea in order to alleviate confusion from one section of notes to another. A tip for highlighting would be to highlight terms or topics by color. For example, vocab can be one color, important ideas can be one color and dates/people to remember can be another.

Happy studying! Be sure to sleep well every night, and may the curve be ever in your favor!