I know what you’re thinking. Here comes someone else to tell me to “lock in for finals.” Here comes another spiel, like the one my mom gave me last night. Here comes one more way to waste my time.
That’s not what this is. This is a compilation of eight unique tips I wish someone had shared with me. These tips are simple, take minimal effort and brain power away from your precious study time and are effective if enacted correctly. You won’t find these tips anywhere else, so read closely.
- Reward Yourself. The best way to avoid procrastination is to reward yourself once you have finished a task. This could be eating a piece of chocolate after studying for an hour or enjoying the sun after drafting your analytical essay.
- Enjoy the little things. Half the battle of finals week is staying positive and motivated. The easiest way to do this is to enjoy yourself from time to time. Have fun with your friends during lunch, greet a faculty member in the halls or give a loved one a hug.
- Get more sleep. Fine, I admit you may have heard this before, but its presence on this list of insanely cool and unique tips goes to show how important sleep truly is. You don’t need to supplement bedtime stories with scrolling.
- Don’t be stagnant. Mentally and physically move around. This could be going out for lunch on reading day to escape the hidey-hole you inhabited for the last four hours. Trust me, brain breaks are not a waste of time.
- Don’t forget headphones. If you’re not in a Colab, UPrep can become painfully noisy. To fix this issue, bring your headphones and either blast your favorite song or turn on the noise-canceling feature.
- Believe in the power pose. Before every exam, I plan on power posing. It’s not that the power pose will guarantee me an A, but it tells my brain to lock in. Some people chew gum, I power pose, you choose what’s best for you, but make sure your pre-test routine is routine.
- Take advantage of the Commons Cafe. Food is fuel, and you can’t get enough fuel during finals week. I’m not saying chug energy drinks (in fact, please research the dangers of energy drinks before consuming them), but I am saying grab some fruit or a pastry when you next pass by.
- Talk to your teachers. Not only will you gain something from a quick discussion with your teachers, but between you and me, you’re proactivity and curiosity will be rewarded. Show your teacher that you care and you’re willing to put in the work.
Not all of these tips will work for everybody. Finals week is about maximizing your chance to end the year strong, so my biggest tip would be to know what’s best for you. Congratulations on making it this far. If I can do it, so can you.
