As finals season swiftly approaches, students anticipation, worry and stress is growing. While this is completely understandable, there are ways to manage and decrease it!

Here are five tips to help you get through ‘End of Course Tests/Projects’ smoothly, confidently and successfully.

1. Make a Schedule:

You may have heard this one many times in the past but its usefulness cannot be underestimated! Planning out your study sessions allows you to optimize your time, while making room for fresh air, exercise, family time, etcetera. This can also play a significant role in decreasing potential stress as you will have formed a schedule tailored to your study habits (ie. planning longer or shorter breaks depending on what works best for you) that will guide you to success! No procrastination or last-minute cramming necessary. 

Important reminder: keep your schedule realistic! If you know you can’t stay focused for an hour and a half without a break, don’t put that in your schedule. 

      2. Make Room for Breaks and Exercise:

In crafting your schedule, ensure to carve out time for relaxation, breaks and exercise. Not only does it add balance to your life during finals, but exercise gives you the opportunity to allow your mind to rest and your eyes to escape from your laptop screen. In addition, greater physical fitness is associated with better performance at school. Your keyboard doesn’t have to be your only tool to success!

       3. Prioritize Sleep:

Unfortunately students often neglect sleep when under stress and pressure, specifically that which accompanies the end of the academic year. This should, under all circumstances, be avoided! A lack of sleep will inevitably impact your ability to concentrate and succeed academically. This is because a sacrifice of sleep leads to fatigue, irritability, difficulty remembering and even a lack of the ability to deal with stress. Imagine walking into the exam hall frustrated, worried, unable to remember what you studied at 2:00am and barely able to keep your eyes open! To avoid this, aim to get 8+ hours of sleep each night; implementing this into your schedule, and altering it accordingly, will allow you to prepare effectively for all of your finals.

       4. Start Early:

Although this requires great self-discipline, it has proved enormously beneficial to students in the past. Studying for the exam, or beginning the project, as soon as you get your preparation-material allows you to take the process at your own pace, go to your teacher with questions, and have sufficient time to feel confident in your knowledge/what you have produced. Time flies by, so make sure not to overestimate how much of it you have and use that as incentive to procrastinate.

       5. Keep what follows finals in mind

Bear in mind that there are only 59 days of the 2022-2023 academic year remaining. Understandably, in times of overwhelming stress, it can be difficult to remember what we are working towards but summer is very swiftly approaching! When you feel incredible pressure and worry, remember that you have worked hard throughout the year and we are in the final stretch. Keep pushing and don’t stop now – you are almost there!

Aim to make habits out of these tips – during finals season – for a relaxed, triumphant and confident end to the year!

Happy studying!