Whether you’re a freshman, a sophomore, a junior or a senior, we all have one thing in common: finals. For the first time in the entire semester, the school is completely united for seven whole days without the need of a big sporting event. For a week we struggle together, study together and stress together. Regardless of how many final weeks you have under your belt, everyone feels like it's their the first, which is why more often than not you spend your days hoping for a saving grace, a guide to surviving finals, if you will.
1. Never Let Your Guard Down
It’s the last two weeks of school, which means it’s time to be on high alert. It doesn’t matter how on the ball you’ve been all year; trust nothing and no one. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer – both for study guide purposes. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean to say that professors are particularly trying to find ways to deduct points. I just mean that you’ll suddenly feel like every single little thing you do will cost you a few points. Absent? Points. Didn’t participate enough? Points. Participated too much? Points. Breathed? There goes a whole letter grade.
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2. There’s No Time For Being Trendy
In my limited college experience, I’ve prided myself in having upgraded my fashion sense. I wouldn’t call myself a trendsetter, but I look reasonably put together. Not having to get up at 6 a.m. every morning will do that to you. But in the weeks leading up to finals, you’ll start to notice that the only trend you’re setting is restricted exclusively to sweats and the shirt you slept in last night. Changing can take up precious study time, a sacrifice you need to be willing to make.
3. Never Underestimate The Power of Procrastination
Of course, I would never actively encourage procrastinating. It’s one of those short-term solutions that will only really work out in your favour a handful of times. This can be one of those times. No one fears a deadline like a college student, and sometimes that’s all it takes. I don’t know if it’s the combination of fear, adrenaline, and gross amount of caffeine, but in most cases it’s enough to produce some of the best work in the worst of situations. I’m not saying you should resort to it; I’m just saying don’t underestimate it.
4. Stay Caffeinated, Stay Hydrated
Coffee is a very important, if not the most important necessity for finals week. The success rate of your study session is almost directly correlated to how many espresso shots you managed to squeeze in before and during. What most people tend to forget is that drinking water is just as important. Drinking coffee may keep you awake, but it won’t stop you from staying a little dead on the inside. I’m not saying trade the lattes for water bottles. God no. Just every once in a while order a cup of ice water with your venti iced coffee. A little H2O can go a long way.
5. Sleeping Is A Want, Not A Need
You have three months to catch up on the sleep you lost, but for now say good bye to the mid-day naps and your regular eight hours and say hello to sleeping in public places between study groups. You’ll be surprised how easy it can be to find comfortable napping places around campus – under a tree in the courtyard, on a couch in the student union, in a hallway, on the fifth floor of the library (it’s the quietest). Anything can be a bed if you try hard enough.
6. Extra Credit and Where To Find It
The syllabus has been your Bible all year, but as of right now it’s dead to you. It has come to my attention that professors have begun to include a ‘No Extra Credit’ section in the syllabus, where you’ll find them convincing you not to even ask. Here’s the trick: ask anyways. There’s an art to scoring extra credit points, and it’s mastered by asking without really asking. There’s a fine line between asking and implying. No pain, no gain.
7. A Little Brown-Nosing Never Hurt Nobody
We all know that one kid who complimented the professor all year. The kid who stayed after class to ask questions about the class. The kid who actually went to Office Hours and ran their papers through their professors. The kid who befriended the professor. See that kid; be that kid. A hard time from your friends is so worth the leniency you’ll find, especially when your final paper was written in two hours.
8. Do What You Can And Move On
There’s no use in obsessing over the negative, so focus on what you can change and forget about what you can’t. These tests aren’t supposed to ruin your life, no matter how much they’re succeeding to do so. Take it all in stride and deal with the cards you’ve been dealt when you have to. Don’t set yourself up for failure. College is an experience, an experience that can sometimes get ugly. Do what you can, study what you can, work as hard as you can, and the rest will follow.
