As the fall semester comes to a close in a few short weeks, there is the impending doom that all college students face: finals week. This is a time of stress and pressure that we have to endure before getting to enjoy the luxury of a long Christmas break. For the typical college freshmen, the thought of finals week is terrifying. Speaking from experience, you never really know what to expect until you are actually in the thick of it. It is accurate to picture people walking solemnly to their tests, wearing baggy sweatpants and sweatshirts, and loading up on caffeine to get them through the week. But, do not fret, freshmen. There are ways to make this week a little less difficult; here is my advice for you:

Prepare. This one seems obvious. But, when you look at your exam schedule and you see that you have a biology final on Monday and a chemistry final on Tuesday, you will probably study mostly for the exam that comes first. From personal experience, this is not ideal. Try to study for every subject in preparation for finals week, not just for the tests that you’ll encounter first.

Try to actually eat healthy. Most of finals week you will be on a caffeine high and won’t even be thinking about what meal to eat next. But trust me, eating full meals, although they take away from studying time, are so necessary to get through finals. Nothing is worse than having your stomach feel so empty before a huge exam.

Take advantage of the finals week activities that your campus offers. For example, maybe your school has a late night breakfast one night during the week. Although it may be during your studying time, it is worth ditching the books for a little while for some good stress eating. Another great part of finals week that may be offered on your campus is pet therapy. Yes it’s as wonderful as it sounds.

Take breaks. You don’t want to run out of steam at the beginning of the week. Space out your studying and try not to get overwhelmed. (I know, it’s easier said than done.)

Remember why you’re doing this. This obviously does not only apply during finals week, but during any time of the semester as well. Remember that no matter how tough things are, you are still getting an education that not a lot of people have the privilege of receiving. In the future this will all be worth it.