December… the most wonderful time of the year.

Finals… the most stressful time of the year.

And somehow for some crazy reason these two events correspond to the same time of the year… why? Now while I don’t know the answer to this question I do have some useful advice on how to make finals week a little less stressful. So break open the nutmeg and let’s make this finals seasons the most wonderful time of the year with these six items that will help you coast through finals week.

Studying playlist/headphones

While studying for finals you are probably going to be spending a lot of time in the library. And while it can be pretty quiet there it is important to tune out the heavy breathers and not so quiet whisperers. That is why it is key to always keep a pair of spare headphones in your backpack because you never want to be left empty handed. Also for the best focusing guaranteed a lyric-less songs playlist is great for studying. But a Christmas themed playlist is never a bad idea as well, but that just might make it feel like finals week is dragging on.

Colorful pens

Making study guides is a huge part of finals week. What better way to make study guides less stressful then using colorful pens? Not only does it make your study guides look better, writing things in different colors will also help your memory when it comes to test time. Like you may remember you wrote the specific definition in a certain color or drew a diagram with a certain type of pen. So make your study guides all the more impressive and watch as you get better grades this finals week.

Google Keep

If you are like me then you have a crazy long master to-do list during finals week and it seems like it never ends. However when you have a to-do list on paper it can be easy to lose or misplace and then you basically lose your mind because that to-do list was your life! But not to fear there is a very simple solution… Google! If you have a Google account then you have the power of Google Keep. Keep allows you to make endless amounts of to-do lists and notes all in one handy spot, also by downloading the app you can reach your notes on your phone. Your master to-do list can follow you wherever you go, making finals week a whole lot less stressful!

Snacks

Now if you have already gotten a nice care package from Mom then you are already way ahead of me on this one. Study snacks are vital for any low stress finals week. It is also key to have a variety of snacks with you. Make sure you have your favorite variety of gummy candy (gummy bears), chips (sour cream and onion), chocolate (caramel Hershey kisses), and of course your favorite study drink (Dr. Pepper). So use the rest of your dining dollars wisely at the end of this semester and get yourself some good study snacks, or just beg your mom for another care package.

*Pro-tip: in order to help keep yourself focused while studying make mini goals and rewards for yourself; like every time you finish reading a page eat a gummy bear, or after writing a paragraph in your final essay look at Facebook for five minutes. These little goals will not only make long assignments seems less tedious but also help keep you focused during long hours of studying.

Sticky notes

When writing all those final papers at the end of semester it can be easy to get stressed out by trying to find the perfect quotes and book themes to write about. Then when you do find the perfect you don’t want to lose it and that is where sticky notes come in. Whenever you need to mark a page or an idea just put a sticky note on it. Also after reading through endless pages of textbooks it is important to keep key diagrams and figures marked again sticky note it. So take more stress out of your finals week by making all your key information easy to find.

Highlighters

Last but not least highlights. Just like with sticky notes, highlighters are great for finding key information fast. If you don’t already, highlighters are a handy thing to keep in your backpack at all times. It is also key to keep many different colored highlighters with you in case there are many different types of information that you need to take note of. However while highlighters are great I also have to give a word of caution: it is easy to get carried away with highlighting and then your efficient way to find information becomes very inefficient. So make sure to keep your highlighting under control or else it will only increase the amount of stress you feel during your finals… and no one wants that!