3 Tips To Survive Finals Week

Finals week is upon us! I’m sure most of us have been there—the stress, the late nights, and the endless trips to the coffee pot. As a senior in high school, I’ve picked up a trick or two to help me through this time of the year. While I can’t promise these will eliminate your stress-filled days and sleepless nights, here are my top three finals-tackling tips:

1. Vitamins! You know what’s worse than studying for and taking finals? Studying for and taking finals when you’re SICK! Unfortunately, I speak from experience. During this time of the year, students are getting sick left and right, and you never know when you might catch something. Getting enough vitamins is super important to boost your immunity. The four best vitamins you should be getting in your diet are [Editors Note: Maggie is not a medical professional. These are just her opinions].

2. Flashcards. I know that nowadays, near-everyone uses quizlet. And quizlet is great. It’s quick, it’s convenient, and the best part? It’s all digital, so you have no chance of losing your work. But did you know, that it’s been scientifically proven that writing stuff down actually helps you remember it better? I’m not saying that you should make physical flashcards for every class. There’s a chance that too many flashcards might stress you out even more. But if you have a class that requires a lot of memorization, give physical flashcards a try. I have a stack for psychology that is about five inches thick, and the 10+ hours that went into making them was completely worth it.

3. Don’t be afraid to give yourself a break. I know a lot of us have the mindset to ‘keep going’. But pushing yourself to work for hours on end a) isn’t healthy and b) will actually cause you to retain less information because you’re stuffing everything into your brain at once. Your brain needs time to process information. So maybe study for two hours, and then go out for a ten-minute walk. Or close your book and listen to some music for five minutes. Or even take a 20-minute power nap. Personally, I’ll usually go for a run or even meditate for 10 minutes. Taking a break will recharge you and get you pumped to keep studying! (Although pumped may be a stretch)

If you try any of these tips, let me know how they worked for you! (@ptownlife on instagram and twitter 😉) I wish everyone luck as they embark on the journey that is finals week. And as dismal as this time of the year may seem, remember that there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel.