It’s everyone’s least favorite time of the semester…”Dead” week and Finals!
If you don’t know what Dead week is, it’s the week most people use to cram for their tests in a last minute attempt to pass their class. Studying non-stop will result in you feeling exhausted for finals and you’ll basically feel #dead.
I however, am going to try my very hardest to avoid exhausting myself this year with the help of these 5 simple tips.
1. Get rid of distractions
Log out of all social media and Netflix. That’s right – log out of EVERYTHING. Say bye to little distractions on Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Yik Yak, Facebook, and my favorite, Pinterest. I know it’s fun to see what your other friends at different universities are experiencing during finals, but it won’t be so fun when all you have to post is crying emojis because you failed and can’t be proud of your efforts these past 4 months. I found this hard to avoid within the first couple of hours of signing out, but every time I tap the icon and see the log in box, I remember that I’m paying a lot of money to learn and pass my classes, not look my phone all day.
2. Prioritize your time
I use my planner and sticky notes to remind myself what I need to do for each class and it’s deadline. I also suggest taking smallbreaks (10-20 minutes) between studying subjects to so you don’t overwhelm yourself, but don’t take too long or you’ll possibly forget what you just studied. You could also alternate where you study so you can focus in various places such as your dorm room, the library, or a study room.
3.Utilize All Resources
To make sure you’re comprehending the material correctly, talk to your professor or TA during their office hours to get a sense of how well you’re doing in that class. You could also create a small study group with friends or go to tutoring for that class. My favorite way to study is to watch the Crash Course videos on YouTube made by John and Hank Green. They make amazing videos on a wide range of subjects like History, Biology, Chemistry, A&P, and Government.
4. Reward Yourself
Feeling frazzled? Paint your nails, take a walk, or go grab some Starbucks. I sometimes break tip number 1 and watch a single episode (around 20 minutes) of my fave sitcoms like Scrubs, How I Met Your Mother, The Office, or Parks and Recreation. You’ve been working hard, so “Treat yo self!”
5. Think Positively
If you need a little motivation, think of the future and all the cool opportunities you’ll get when your hard work finally pays off. I use the DailyQuote app (from Apple App Store) and look at the ones I favorited over time to get back into a motivated mood.
Hopefully these tips will help you out this semester and I wish you all the best of luck on your exams!
the pre-med prep 