Finals week is by far the most stressful time of the semester for college students everywhere. Whether you've had weeks to prepare or were only given the date of the final and told "good luck!" by your professor, we all have our own ways of coping with stress and motivating ourselves to get in those last few assignments we've been procrastinating on. If you're like me and don't deal well with stress, here are a few ways to ease your anxiety and motivate yourself to survive finals week.
1. Remember how close Christmas break is
We're so close! Within two weeks (give or take), you'll be laying in bed snuggled up in a warm blanket binge watching anything you want on Netflix. You just have to make it through a few finals and last minute papers and a 6-hour marathon of Bob's Burgers is all yours!
2. Put on an upbeat playlist
Upbeat music naturally makes you feel more awake and energized. If you're working on a tough assignment, try putting on a video game soundtrack to motivate yourself- those songs are literally made to make you want to keep going.
3. Talk to yourself
I know, I know- this sounds really weird. But it works! Tell yourself "I can do this" and other affirmations. Even if you feel silly for talking to yourself, it's scientifically proven that your brain will use that as a command and make you feel more inclined to do whatever it is you need to do,
4, Finish a to-do list
The tasks on your list can be as easy asl "take out the trash" or even "make a pot of coffee". Once you start crossing things off your list, you'll feel more gratification and your stress level may decrease significantl knowing that you've done something productive.
5. Reach out
Find a friend that won't judge or ridicule you for ranting for a little while. A kind and loving friend will let you spill your guts about everything that's bothering you and give you feedback. This will make you feel more relieved for getting everything off your chest, and even more relief if they make you feel like your feelings are valid.
6. Turn off your phone!
Scrolling through Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter may seem like good stress relievers, but your mind won't focus the same way after you put down your pen and scroll through your newsfeed. Try turning off your phone for a couple of hours to focus on your assignment so you have no distractions, or even to just relax for a little while with no kind of outside interaction.
7. Prep everything you need ahead of time
Take out all of the books and notes that you'll need and lay them out in an organized fashion. Give yourself a few minutes before you get started, and when you do sit down to study, everything you need will be ready for you.
8. Don't try to cram the hour before the final
We've all done it. You try to study everything one last time before your final. Then you sit down to take the test and suddenly forget everything. This is because in the process of trying to cram all the information into your brain at one time, your brain shut down. Try to study the week before the final and even the night before, but save the hour before your final to get coffee and relax.
9. Believe in yourself!
Okay, this sounds really cheesy but I promise it works. If you go into a final with the mindset that you're going to fail, you're probably not going to do any better than a C or lower. You've already lost the battle. Tell yourself that you will pass, and that you've done your very best to get this far.
Good luck! And my the finals be ever in your favor.
