Hi! Today, I’m back with a post about how to survive finals week when you’re in college! I’m actually writing this in the middle of my finals week so all this advice is definitely real – I’m using it right now! 🙂
My first bit of advice is to make sure you get enough sleep. It’s so tempting to feel like you need to pull an all-nighter before your exam, especially if it’s an early exam the next day and you’re stressed that you might not do well. You want to study for as long as possible (maybe because you put it off until the day before) and feel like you can retain the information better if you just don’t go to sleep at all, but sleep actually helps us to remember and sort out the information we’ve learned that day and will make your mind more alert when you go to take your exam. I always study right up until I go to sleep the night before and then study more, in the morning, right before the exam. That way I’m alert and able to take the exam with a clear mind, but all the exam information that I studied is fresh in my mind.
Second, take time to make sure you look like yourself. I know throwing on sweatpants and a t-shirt is convenient and quick when you’re busy and stressed but if you don’t go through your normal routine and dress how you usually do, your brain won’t know it has to perform. Getting ready as you do on a daily basis signals to your brain that your day is beginning and things are happening. If you never go through this process, your brain will still be in “sleep” mode and won’t be ready to take a test. This is something I’ve started doing and paying attention to recently and it’s mentally helped me out a lot!
Third, make sure you’re eating healthy and drinking plenty of water. When we’re constantly on the go, we can easily forget to eat and drink as we should. Eating healthy takes more time and energy than just grabbing a Pop-Tart, but, in the end, you’ll be glad you took the time to take care of yourself when everyone around you is getting sick! Emergen-C can also help you out a lot. It’s just a little extra boost for your immune system that could make or break your health during finals week!
Lastly, recognize that your final exam grades don’t define who you are as a person. It’s hard to be in college and not fall victim to the idea that you aren’t as successful as your peers. We constantly compare our own grades to our friend’s grades and, in reality, most of the time we aren’t even taking the same classes so we aren’t comparing the same thing. Some college students are better at certain subjects than others and, as long as you’re doing your best, that’s all anyone can ask for. Getting good grades is very helpful, but I think any employer would value hard work and diligence over knowledge anyways. 🙂
I hope this post helps you take a moment to relax and take a step back from your hectic finals week! Let me know in the comments below what your best finals week advice is and I’ll be sure to comment back! See you next week!
