Getting through Finals Season: Strategies for Study Success. It’s a rite of passage that awaits all students – but there are ways to get through it with most optimal results.
It is an all too familiar sight. Students are either filling up libraries and cafes as they bury themselves in papers or stare at their laptops for the entire day or rushing from classroom to the other to take their final exams. These are signs of the end of the semester, when students turn into zombies and therefore look forward to nothing but the break. Freedom is near, but achieving it is not easy.
Of course, this is an incredibly stressful season. It is almost as if professors were never students themselves, as they pile one requirement after another. However, we have all been there. And most of us have survived. No, I am kidding, all of us have survived. Here are a few tips in order to help you get through the dreaded finals season:
1. Do not stress
I know, it sounds very cliché. But the more you think about it, the more it makes sense. A stressed mind is a natural result of high pressure, especially if requirements all come at the same time. Stress begins in the mind, and it is usually baseless. Worrying about the future usually does not change it, so why bother? Moreover, stressing out about something that has not happened does not lead to anything productive or worthwhile. So instead of stressing out about exams or papers that yet to happen, try to maintain more realistic thoughts instead. This leads me to my next tip.
2. Piece it out and take small steps
One thing that really helped me get through the finals season is to look at all the tasks in hand and make them into smaller, more manageable tasks. Of course, they are initially very daunting. This is understandable, because big tasks are usually difficult to tackle. However, once you piece them out into smaller tasks, you can handle them better. This way, you can estimate the time it will take to finish one task. For example, if you have a three-thousand-word essay to write, try to write around five hundred words a day. This way, you can finish your essay in a week. If you have a comprehensive exam to prepare for, try to determine how many chapters you can comprehensively study in a day.
3. Stay healthy
Not being able to maintain healthy habits also leads to more stress. When you are stressed, your immune system is affected. Hence, if you do not get enough sleep or consume nutritious food, there is a high tendency for you to get sick. Once you are sick, you will no longer be able to handle the tasks on hand as efficiently. So always remember that despite the numerous requirements, you should still maintain healthy habits. Taking vitamin supplements, increasing your water intake, going for a run every now and then, getting enough sleep, and eating nutritious food may contribute to a positive and motivated mindset. Read this to find out more about staying healthy as a student.
4. Schedule some down time
This may seem counterintuitive, but it is actually very helpful in increasing your productivity. When you are always busy, you tend to forget to rest. Consequently, although you may complete tasks in less time, the quality may not be as great. Moreover, time to rest also rejuvenates your body, increasing your resistance to illnesses caused by stress. Reading a book, lighting a scented candle, taking a warm bath, and hanging out with friends are only a few activities you can do to wind down and relax.
5. Ask for help
If you think you cannot take it anymore, it is always good to ask for help. You are human, so it is only natural to have your limits. Help can come in various ways. It can be asking a friend to accommodate you to a café or a library to study, or even just check up on you every so often to see if you are still sleeping and eating well. With other requirements, such as essays, there are also other ways to get assistance, such as an essay writer service. If you are really out of time, then this is something you may want to consider.
The finals season is very scary. However, it is important to keep in mind that this not going to last forever. Also, millions of people have gone through this, so you will definitely do so as well. Once you survive this, you will be stronger and wiser. At the end of it all, you will look back on all the challenges you overcame, and you will tell yourself that you would not have had it any other way.
