Classes are over! Now what?

Now that classes are over, it’s easy to forget the importance of staying on top of your schoolwork, and even easier to forget that we still have finals! I’ll offer you some tips on how to beat the end-of-the-year anxiety and excel during finals.

1. Don’t stress yourself out! Keep calm. Finals come and finals go – life goes on! Make sure you give yourself enough time, so…
2. Don’t wait until the last minute! Reach out to your professors if you’re struggling with a final project or paper. Even if you’re having trouble understanding a concept, or contemplating the best way to study for the material, your professors are here to help you. They want you to succeed!
3. Reward yourself! It’s okay to take a break. Take time to relax in between periods of studying. Information overload is actually bad for your brain, and cramming can hurt more than help. Put yourself into a routine; study for an hour, take a break for a half hour, study again for about an hour, and so on.
4. Study in groups! From the TECH Center to Paley, there are valuable spaces created for group learning and studying, so take them up! If you get easily distracted by the other students in these spaces (we all know everyone’s there to study!) utilize the breakout rooms available for hours at a time. These rooms come stocked with a flat-screen TV, computer capability, and a whiteboard for brainstorming. They are available only by appointment, so hurry!
5. Find out what works for you! For some people, studying with friends around and music playing is the right atmosphere for them to study. For others, not so much. Find out what the best environment is for you to get the most out of studying.
6. Be good to your mind, and it will be good to you! Healthy snacking, adequate sleep, and exercise will help you. Trust me. Your brain is more apt to retain information if it is well-rested and well-nourished.
7. Have some fun! You should be serious and focused during finals, don’t get me wrong. However, it’s important to still have fun. Take some time after a long study session to watch a movie, or grab dinner with friends. It will decrease your stress level and make you feel better.

Feeling a little better about finals now? Good! For more information, stop in and see your friendly Student Affairs Office in Annenberg Hall 9. Happy studying!