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Opinion: Follow these five tips to get through finals week

Graphic by Francisco Wang

Finals week is almost here, and hey—so is summer break! These are the last few weeks of our college experience for seniors, and we have some advice about how to avoid becoming overwhelmed by exams. While we study hard, we must continue to offer ourselves time for self-care. This week’s “What’s Up Wellness” focuses on five tips to get you through finals week. 

  1. START PREPARATION EARLY. Exams are quickly approaching, and if you are anything like me, you can be tempted to wait until the last minute to look at your exam schedule. Out of sight, out of mind… right? No! Organize your exam schedule now and plan time to study for at least an hour or two per day until the exam date. 
  1. CHANGE YOUR SCENERY. When you study, put yourself in a distraction-reduced environment. Some underrated places on campus where I love to study are the tables outside Dave’s Boathouse, the library’s top floor, and the Cornell Hall atrium. 
  1. GET GOOD SLEEP. Attempt to get at least eight hours of sleep every night during exam week. Find a good magazine, book, or show to enjoy to help get your mind off the textbooks before you sleep. You’ll get better sleep and will start every study day feeling refreshed! 
  1. CREATE A STUDY GROUP. Use your classmates as resources for studying. Get together with other students to quiz each other and collaborate on notes. Who knows? You may even make a new best friend! 
  1. DON’T BE TOO HARD ON YOURSELF. While final exams are crucial and usually have a significant effect on your grades, try to focus on positive self-talk and remember to be patient with yourself. For goodness’ sake, being kind to yourself is just as important as being kind to others! 

I hope these suggestions help you get through Finals Week. Remember to take care of yourself, drink water, keep your body fueled, and get some fresh air. It will all be over before you know it.

Don’t forget to reward yourself when finals are over. Make some fun plans to look forward to with friends or set aside time for yourself to relax—or both! Arrange a movie night, go to dinner with your friends, order take-out, or honestly, just cozy up in your bed, binge Netflix, and have some popcorn. 

Remember… this is simply one semester of your college experience; your life is a work in progress, so commit to doing something positive for yourself each day during this time.

We wish you the best of luck with your exams!

The opinions on this page do not necessarily reflect those of The Sandspur or Rollins College.

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