Buckle your seatbelts, everyone, it's about to be a long ride for the next few weeks of endless studying, crying in the library, eating Easy Mac for every meal, and constantly wishing for summer. It's finals week. But you got this!
Final exams, in many classes, might be the most important exam of the year. How do professors expect us to review everything we learned in a semester in just a couple of weeks, and take a two-hour exam on all of the material? It seems nearly impossible, except that many students are able to manage it. Here are a few short tips to survive finals week:
Make a schedule
One of the most efficient things to do to prepare for finals is to make a study schedule. Plan out what classes you need to study more for than others, what days and times you want to study each section of material, etc. Most times, for me in specific, when I make a plan I stick to it, so this is one thing that I do that really helps me stay organized and on top of everything.
Prioritize
Do you have one class that you can get an A in if you study hard for the final, but another class that you need over 100% on the final to get an A in the class, but only a 40% to keep a B? If so, since it is stressful to study for everything in a few weeks, maybe spend more time on the class you think you can get an A in, and maybe do not prioritize the other class. I'm not saying don't study at all, but maybe spending more time on one class than the other would be better.
Spread out your studing
One of the worst things to do for a final exam, or any exam for that matter, is to cram for hours the night before. Retention is higher when you spread out your studying, plus you can only spend 1 or 2 hours a day on that class instead of 8 in one night, which seems easier if you break your time into chunks.
Take care of yourself
Can't remember the last time you ate food? Go eat! Are you really stressed out and need to take a mental break? Go for a walk, exercise, or just watch an episode of your favorite show. Need some extra motivation? Call you friends/family and they'll give you the motivation to keep going.
Finals week might be the most stressful week of the year, but you got this!
