How to survive finals

Finals week is by far the worst week of the semester for college students. It is filled with anxiety, stress, and lots of caffeine.

My first tip is to go somewhere to study. I know studying in your bed or on the couch sounds enticing, but you will remember the material much more if you study in a work environment. Being in a work environment allows you to stay more focused, rather than if you were in the comfort of your own home. I love to go to campus or to a coffee shop to get work done or study. I am much more productive if I leave the house and when I am surrounded by other people doing work, it makes me want to do work.

Another tip I have for finals week is to put your phone in a different room when you study. If I get a notification on my phone, I automatically look at it, so I don’t have to do work and then usually end up staying on my phone for at least 15 minutes, so it’s just better to have it out of sight. If you keep your phone in the same room as you while you’re studying or doing work, it is a good idea to put your phone on do not disturb. Without the notifications popping, it will be less tempting to go on it.

Make sure you get sleep the night before your exams. Taking an exam when you’re exhausted will make you less concentrated and you will be more focused on how tired you are, rather than on the exam. I know sometimes you feel like you have to stay up all night studying, but getting a good night's sleep is super important. Try not to procrastinate so you don't have to stay up studying.

Cramming for an exam is not efficient because the information won’t stay in your brain as well as if you were to study in increments days/weeks leading up to the exam. Don’t bother staying up late and studying because you most likely won’t remember it anyway, so just try and get to bed early and get some rest.

Another tip I have for surviving finals week is to take breaks when studying. You need to take time to let your brain rest and relax in between subjects. If you study for a long time without giving yourself a break, you will get tired and burnt out, so set aside time for yourself. Go for a walk, meditate, go on your phone for a little bit; just do something for yourself without thinking about exams.

After you have finished all of your exams, make sure you reward yourself. Exams are so stressful, and you deserve to treat yourself once you have finished. At the end of the week, buy yourself something that you have wanted for a while because you deserve to reward yourself with finishing the semester.

I hope everyone does well with the rest of their semester and ace their finals!