Finals week brings with it a variety of emotions. On one hand, we get excited knowing that the school year is finally coming to an end and summer is almost upon us. At the same time, however, there is also the dreaded feeling of knowing that we have a semester’s worth of information to study.
In preparation for this upcoming week, I have thought of three things that have helped me and three things that have hurt me when getting ready for finals.
First let’s look at what to do when setting yourself up for a successful finals week.
First, stock up on your favorite snacks. It is going to be a long week of studying. So reward yourself and all of your hard work with the best snacks. A reward system never fails. Just think, “If I learn all these definitions then I can have a cookie.” Trust me, this motivation is SWEET, literally.
On a more serious note, turn your phone off. Or at least put it on airplane mode. I am the absolute worst when it comes to getting distracted. I can study hard for an hour, check one text on my phone and two hours later I know all about Justin Bieber’s cousin’s girlfriend’s best friend’s family. Our phones can be such a distraction and keep us from being successful. With studying comes needed breaks. So put your phone in another room and study really hard for an hour and then allow yourself ten minutes to be on it, put it away, and then study again. The key is balance and self-control.
Last, but not least, you need sleep. Statistics show that a good nights sleep is better than an all-nighter spent studying. When we are tired it’s ten times harder for our brains to function correctly and recall the information we spent all night studying. If you plan on having a late night, plan on taking naps, the day of the all-nighter and the following day. Sleep is so important, and your brain needs the rest.
So now that we have gone over a few to do’s, let’s move on to a few what not to do’s.
The first big no-no would be…procrastination. Don’t do it. I tend to always think that if I put it off it will get done, let me tell you…it doesn’t. Make sure that you get the project or studying that needs to be done finished before you go to bed or start on something else, because waking up early to do it never works out the way you planned.
Next, do not say yes to everything. It’s the last week of school and we know it is going to be a long summer without our friends so we tend to say yes to everything. But, don’t agree to go to Texarkana for Whataburger or go to Benton and see a movie unless your studying is done and you feel super prepared for your tests.
And lastly, don’t take finals week for granted. Try to look at this week in a positive light: think about how cool it is that we learned that much in just one semester. Also, by taking these finals we are just one step closer to graduation. We only have 8 finals weeks in college and then we are out in the real world. So just enjoy this time and think about how much you had the opportunity to learn this semester.
Finals can be rough, but we all have the potential to be successful if we put in the time and effort. Keep pushing and working hard. We are so close to being poolside, drinking a cold glass of lemonade. Good luck to everyone on their finals! Summer here we come!
Written by Staff Writer, Tiffany Lee
