Summer is in the air (even though it is still spring). The excitement is building inside of us all and suddenly it seems as if a dark cloud has enclosed each of our brains... a cloud that goes by the name laziness and procrastination. I'm feeling it and I'm sure all of you are too but we aren't to blame! We've just trekked through a long hike of working hard, studying, for some of us being away from home for awhile, and much more. Summer holds relaxation in front of our faces, reunions with some of our closest friends and family, and most of all the summer holds days of doing nothing but laying on the warm hot sand. I think it's pretty hard to not get distracted. BUT, in the back of our minds is a little voice taunting us that we still have responsibilities we must tend to. Did you calculate your grade and figure out the percentage you direly need on each of your finals to pass a class? Yeah, we all did. So it's time to get your game faces on and it's time to finish this semester strong! Here are a few tips that help me finish strong even when summer is only one week away...
Tip #1: Make a Schedule
For some of us, the end of the semester entails more than just studying for finals. It may include moving out of your dorm, planning family events such as graduations, and much more. Now you're sitting at your desk and your brain is cluttered with panic and stress- "Okay I have one final Monday and two finals Wednesday. I move out Friday. Oh but I meet with an advisor Thursday and..." and the list goes on and on. SOLUTION: MAKE A SCHEDULE. Open your notes on your laptop, whip out a planner or a calendar, or anything else you can easily have access to. I use my notes on my laptop and I write out the days of the week. Underneath each day I make a list of things I have to do like pack up closet clothes, do chemistry practice problems etc. I disperse my work for the week so that each day I do a little bit, instead of doing A LOT in one day. Not only that, but the feeling of accomplishment when I get to scratch something off my list is definitely a huge motivator to keep working!
Tip #2: Wake Up Early, Go to Sleep Early
For many people, waking up early is one of the hardest things to do. Instead, they wake up around 10-12 and begin to panic when they realize they need more hours than there are in a day to do everything they need to. They resort to pulling all nighters and loading up on red bull, monster, or coffee. I've been there and let me tell you, it usually doesn't workout as you want. You feel like you're performing optimally, but the truth is that is just something you convinced yourself to believe. Instead, try this. Don't go to bed past 11:30-12pm (doesn't sound too early, but that's what college is). Make sure you get a full 6-8 (preferably 8) hours in of sleep. If you go to bed at that time you can wake up around 7:30-8 am and you would have gotten a full nights rest. The earlier you get up the faster you can get your day going. Before you know it, you may finish the days work with a little bit of time leftover to squeeze in an episode of Grey's Anatomy, Game of Thrones, or any other netflix show. Me time is definitely needed during finals week but only if the time presents itself.
Tip #3: Get Your Butt to the Gym
I don't think there is a better way to work off stress than a good workout. You can set aside an hour or two just to working hard, clearing your mind, and just doing you (a cliche saying, I know). Do it whenever you want! Either right when you wake up after a morning snack, mid-day as a study break, or at night when the days work is done and you're ready to work it all off. The gym is my favorite part of the day! I feel like I'm being productive while doing something I really love! So give it a shot, you may discover it's a new hobby. Or maybe if you are a usual gym person, don't use a busy finals week as an excuse to take off! Make time for it, it'll benefit you more than you think. Go for a run on the treadmill, cycle your stress away, or lift some weights. Just get your butt to the gym!
Tip #4: Be Positive
Something I'm really good at doing when I am stressed is being negative! I tell myself I'm not going to pass or that I'm not doing enough studying or anything else. In reality, I am using all the resources available to me to study, I'm just freaking myself out. Truthfully, if I have ever done poorly on an exam it would be because I freaked myself out. DO NOT be negative! Tell yourself you can do this because you can. Put in the time and effort, use everything available to you to study, and then just let it be. If the test is made to be nearly impossible, at least you know you did all that you could to prepare. Being negative will only cause you to have test anxiety which could make you blank out on the test. Positivity goes a long way and will even alleviate some of your stress. Every morning when you wake up, look in the mirror and tell yourself, "I can do this". Summer is right there. YOU CAN DO THIS.
Tip #5: Do Not Stress Eat
Stay away from the stress eating! Usually stress eating consists of taking in large amounts of fatty, unhealthy foods which in turn will only make you more tired and will slow you down. Eat when you're body is hungry not when you're mind is stressed. PLUS I'm sure you've been working out hard for bikini season, don't let some crazy finals ruin your hard work! Stick to your normal eating schedules, drink lots of water, and find other ways to rid yourself of your stress. Someways could be to workout, maybe just sit outside for some fresh air, go to the mall (put yourself on a time limit though ladies), or listen to some music!
Tip #6: Don't Overdo It
Seeing the amount of information you need to know for each final can be shocking. All of a sudden you go on this psycho rampage and don't move from your study room for 9 hours straight (sounds crazy, but sten and I did this last semester... more than once... actually 5 days in a row). DO NOT overdo it! You will have yourself talking in your sleep about the information (this has happened to me). Some things I do that help me organize all the information I need to know is:
- Make Flashcards: flashcards are a good way to shrink long sentences into short ways of memorizing things.
- Make a Tip Sheet: if you're doing practice problems, the second you get one wrong, write what you did wrong and how to not do it again. This idea was given to me from my Chemistry professor and has truthfully saved my life.
- Make Study Guides: organize the information into categories instead of leaving it as one huge glob of information
Tip #7: Breathe
BREATHE, you can do this. All that matters is that you give it your best! Just get through this one week and you have 4 months of bliss. Summer is right there, make it truly rewarding. Some great motivators are countdowns. I have a countdown on my desk so that every morning when I sit down I see how close I am. You didn't get through this whole semester to ruin it at the end. Breathe and prepare yourself. Before you know it, you'll be looking back at this week and it'll be behind you. I wish you all a great finals week, kick some final butt!!!