How to survive finals week

Here we are, T-minus one week until the worst week of the semester arrives. It’s always crazy how fast the weeks fly by after reaching the halfway point of each semester. All that’s left between us and summer time are final projects and final tests. Whether you saved all of your work until now or you are caught up or even ahead, we as students should do our best to not be stressed.

While the grades you receive in each class can be heavily influenced by your performance on the final, it’s important to not let the pressure get to you, as stress can impact your execution. This is much easier said than done, but there are a number of things you can do to help control your stress upon the end of the semester.

This first one sounds simple and kind of stupid, but sometimes all you have to do is breathe. I’m not saying just default breathe as you normally would, though that is important. One of the best tricks to calm anxiety and stress is to control your breathing 

A lot of the time when we are anxious, we actually breathe incorrectly, causing stress to worsen. Taking slow, deep breaths can slow down your nervous system and reduce your body temp and anxiety.

Another great way to keep your mind at ease during these last weeks is to take breaks to relax and do things you enjoy. While your assignments and tests may be your main focus, making it seemingly impossible to think about anything else, it’s important to find the time to take care of yourself.

If you only focus on school, it’s going to wear you down mentally and physically. Taking moments out of your day to just sit back and do something that brings you joy, even if it’s something like sleeping, will only refresh your mind and give you the energy you need to succeed.

The last one may seem obvious, but it’s important to remember not to overdo it. Make sure you take the time to study beforehand, but don’t over-study. Making sure you know the content is important, but if that’s all you’re doing the week or two (however far in advance you start) before, you will drain yourself.

On the other hand, it’s also key to not procrastinate for too long. Be sure you are still giving yourself enough time to learn the content, so you don’t overwhelm yourself. Simply put: find the balance.

These last two weeks can be difficult for many people. What’s most important is that you remain confident and try your best.