As we start approaching the end of April, it is important to start preparing yourself for finals week. Finals week can be the most stressful, sleepless, and miserable week if students do not take the right steps to preparing their body and minds. This week is full of exams that students often rely on to help boost their GPA or make it on the Dean’s list. How you prepare yourself and deal with finals week is very crucial to what grades you will receive.

The first step to surviving finals week is to make sure you eat. This might be a tip that seems unnecessary but, the truth is, it is very common for students to be so preoccupied with studying that they forget to eat a healthy meal or even a healthy snack. Students often turn to energy drinks, coffee, and 5-Hour energy shots to provide them with a short energy booster. This is actually proven to be worse in the long run because, not only will you end up being hungry, tired, and unable to focus on important information, but breakfast actually gives off signals to the brain that helps with brain muscle memory and will actually help a person remember things more easily.

Another common mistake made by students is the deathly “cramming process.” This is the studying technique that students take part of where they try to study as much information as possible in the shortest amount of time…..all so that they can do this same process with their other classes and feel more prepared. This technique is not a good idea because it does not allow your brain to fully soak up and understand the information that is being studied. Cramming all the semester’s information into a few hours of studying is also more likely to stress you out in the end because it will make students feel like it is almost impossible to learn everything before finals.

Use your resources! Where you study and prepare for finals week can make a big difference. There are many buildings, computers, workstations, and quiet corners for students to get away and peacefully review for your upcoming exams. Studying at home, in your bed, or even at your desk makes it that much easier for you to close up the books and maybe go for a snooze. Getting outside of your personal space and entering a space for work and productivity can enhance the chances of a higher grade.

The last, and possible most important, tip on how to get through the week is to stay calm. It may seem like there is no time to relax or take any time off when your grades are on the line, but this will be the most crucial part of your week. Stressing out will make it harder for you to remember what you are studying and only make it harder for you during your final exam. Relaxing can mean anything from taking a break to watch a movie, getting a full night’s rest, or listening to soft music while you read a book. No matter what relaxing means to you, it is important to take a mental and physical break away from your work to ensure that you are not overloading your brain at a given time.

All in all, whether it’s your first finals week or your last, it is never too late to try these tips to help you survive, what most students would consider, the most stressful and painful week of the year. It is important to look out for your physical and mental health with these suggestions given and maybe pass this on to a friend or classmate who might need this as well. Finals week can be hard to manage but eating healthy meals, taking advantage of your resources, and getting enough relaxation and sleep will only make it easier in the end for you to achieve what really matters…..the A!