Rock Your Finals

The end of the semester is in a couple of weeks, which means that finals are approaching fast. If you’re someone who gets stressed and nervous during this time, I have some tips and tricks to help you out.

Before anything, make a plan. A written schedule helps a lot as it is important to visualize what you need to do and when to get it done. It may also feel good when you cross something off after you complete it.

A few days to a week before the finals you should study. Studying for shorter periods of time, rather than cramming the night before, helps with long-term memory and you will be more likely to remember what you studied. But remember to take breaks! That is just as important as studying. If you work yourself too hard you will experience burnout and be unable to study and complete the tests to the best of your ability. One more note of studying–limit distractions. Put the phone down, go to a quiet room, and let the others in the household know you are studying so they won’t add to the distraction. If listening to music helps, put it on as background noise. Everyone is different, so choose the best study strategy for you.

Remember to get good rest the night before the finals. Teenagers need 8-10 hours of sleep each night. If it’s difficult for you to get a good night’s sleep, try these tips:

• Lower the temperature in your room, our bodies naturally lower temperature when we sleep.
• Drink warm milk or some lemon balm tea, it is proven to help insomniacs and restless sleepers.

Finally, the morning of finals, eat a healthy breakfast. Have something that will keep you from going hungry until your lunch time. But make sure it’s something good for you. Junk food (like donuts) can end up giving you a stomach ache. A good example of something good is yogurt. It’s a quick and easy breakfast but also very healthy and satisfying.

Hopefully these tips and tricks will help you with your finals. Good luck!