“It’s the final countdown,” in the tune of the Swedish rock band Europe. Yeah, that’s right. I have four weeks left of my sophomore year in college…and it’s extremely wild and weird to think of that, I still feel like a freshman in highschool. Since we’re winding down to finals and one of the most stressful parts of the semester, I thought I would share some of my tips and strategies to help you lovelies survive during finals week. You can get through this, trust me.
1.) Make sure you are actually studying.
Studying is one of the hardest things for me to do, because I’d much rather be spending my time doing other things, like binge watching OKBaby on YouTube (check them out, their vlogs are the best). I found this cool website called Cram where you can make virtual study cards, which is helpful since I hate writing things out, typing is so much faster. You can quiz yourself on the study cards with a matching test or with their “Cram Mode” memorization game-like thing. I am really glad I found this website, they also have an app so you can study on the go. It’s really helpful. If you can’t study on your own, find a study buddy! If you didn’t make friends during class, well it’s not too late. Ask someone sitting next to you if they’d like to study together, that way you don’t have to struggle alone.
2.) Plan time to hang out with friends.
Yes, I’m serious. I have 5 finals this semester, some are cumulative and some aren’t, but I really need to be focused on my work and not be distracted by friends. I know it might be hard and you might have some FOMO but your friends will understand. If they ask to hang out, say I’ll meet you at 3 when I’m done studying. Stick to this, and you’ll be able to get work done and still have a social life. (You could also ask if they wanted to do homework together, but again, make sure that you’re actually doing that!)
3.) Music.
Music keeps me motivated and in a better mood. 8Tracks is one of my favorite playlist websites and you can find a variety of playlists and you might discover some new artists. When studying or doing homework I like to listen to Indie playlists or Instrumental playlists, sometimes I even listen to Tibetan music which is meditation music. It’s really peaceful. You could also listen to white noise, which I’ve heard helps keep you focused.
4.) Give yourself breaks.
Studying for 5 hours straight is going to burn you out completely. Make sure you are taking breaks every so often. Go take a walk or have lunch with friends, maybe even allot yourself one episode of your favorite show. It makes the whole idea of finals coming up a little more bearable, at least for me. Plus allowing myself one episode of a show, or 40 mins of YouTube videos helps me not browse the web when I should be studying or doing other work.
5.) Put the phone down.
I’m attached to my phone, so much that I’ll look at it every 2 seconds for no reason. Leave your phone in a different room while you’re studying or doing other homework, it will make you finish quicker since you’re not distracted by Instagram or Snapchat. It’s a life saver, trust me.
6.) Utilize to-do lists & your time.
To-do lists help me so much and when I’m able to cross something off on my list I feel so accomplished, I’m sure you do too. Make to-do lists based on what assignments you need to do first and go down the list, or even put your harder or longer assignments first so you can do the easy stuff last. Also having a to-do list will help you use your time better, since you’ll be motivated to stay on one task at a time until you complete it.
7.) Keep your head up.
I know that finals are hard, life is hard in general. But it’s not the end of the world if you fail a final, your worth is not based on a grade. Just do the best that you can, and I’m sure you’ll do great…and one more thing, never doubt yourself.
Hope you enjoyed reading and I hope this post helped you!
What’s your favorite way to study? Let me know in the comments below 🙂
Xoxo, Rae
love this! We are just getting to midterms and these are some awesome tips to keep going and push through the struggle of school.
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