#finals 2014

[wooden]

[geniusbutafreak]

Listening to music that makes me sad and procrastinating while I wait for 6 to come around so I can go to my last class of the semester. 

After that, its studying for finals until I can't see straight. Can't wait.

[yohoyohoadisneylifeforme]

Me and finals right now. Credit to nimcks

[ceruleanphoenix7]

Fringe bloopers never fail to make me feel slightly better on a shitty day.

[ceruleanphoenix7]

I think Partial Differential Equations is pushing the limits of how much my brain can take in. Uh oh.

[thingstheydont-teachyou]

Another Actual Blog Post: Quick Finals Week Advice and I'm Sorry

Wow, you guys! This semester has just flown on by. To the freshman: congrats, you made it through your first semester alive! To the seniors: You did it! Happy Almost-Graduation! To everyone in between: Hang in there! 

So, I had planned on writing a longer post on how to get through finals week, but it slipped my mind. Sorry! And now, instead of writing my 10 page paper I have due tomorrow, I decided to write a quick little post. I just couldn't leave y'all hanging. 

Finals week can be the most stressful week of your life, and you swear every single one is worst than the last. I can't really give you any kind of advice on how to eliminate the stress completely, but I can give some pointers that might make it a little easier. Try some of these to see what helps you.

Eat healthy. Candy and junk food as finals week munchies sounds better than buying up all of Wal Mart's produce section, but fruits and veggies are better brain food. If you don't want to completely give up the candy and chips, at least balance it out. One banana for each bag of chips. Most importantly: Eat complete meals, three times a day.

Drink water. You can drink two gallons of coffee, but you should also drink two gallons of water to even it out. Avoid sodas this week (looking at you, dear sister). The worst thing that can happen to you on finals week is to get dehydrated. 

Find your caffeine buzz. Decide what keeps you alert. Tea or coffee, whatever it is. Stock up on it. I am not an advocate of energy drinks, but if that's what works for you, I won't tell you not to drink them.

Spread out your studying. Yes, cramming is fun (not), but spreading out your studying will make for a less stressful night before the test. Starting early will ensure you get through everything and retain information better.

Start the papers EARLY. This is something I personally struggle with. Case in point: I have a 10 page paper, as mentioned above, due tomorrow and I've only written one page of it. You will generally have the instructions for the paper early on in the semester, so it's always a good idea to get a jump on those papers before the semester gets crazy. Don't be like me! 

Take study breaks. Study breaks will recharge your brain. Don't make them too long; 20 to 30 minutes should suffice. Lay down in the bed (but don't fall asleep), go for a walk or run, take a relaxing shower, watch a short program on Netflix, or watch 30 minutes of TV. Anything to relax for a time. But after 30 minutes, get back to work! 

Get plenty of sleep. One of the major breaking points for any college student is exhaustion. We fall down on the bed and worry about everything we have to study for, leading us to get back up and study some more. Forget about that study guide and get at least 6 hours, if not 8. Sleep is definitely hard to come by on finals week, but if you're smart with your time, you won't have to deal with the exhaustion.

Find your groove. Finding an ideal study spot is crucial to a successful finals week. If that spot is your bed, your desk, your kitchen table, the library, the coffee shop down the street, or even the floor, that's fine (although I don't recommend bed). Find it. Claim it. Love it. You will be fine. 

That's all I've got for you. I'm including some links to foods and drinks that help with concentration and alertness. Brain food and drink, so to speak. The food may not be the most delicious, but it's worth a try. 

These foods on Reader's Digest, or these on BBC

These teas with varying amounts of caffeine

Coffee is coffee, so if you like it, then drink away. I encourage you to try the tea, though, since it's less harsh on your body than coffee is. No teeth staining, easier on the stomach, stuff like that. 

And that's my advice. This is my fifth semester in college, so hopefully by now I know what I'm talking about. The jury's out, though. If any of these things are more helpful than others, if there's something you think I should add or cut, please let me know. I'm always up for feedback! 

I wish everyone, from freshman to seniors, good luck on finals week. Remember, Christmas is right around the corner! Let's do this! Love to everyone. 

[eatmyshortsbender]

I'm not doing my 10 page paper because I'm exhausted and want to sleep but I can't sleep because I'm thinking about my goddamn 10 page paper fuck finals week.

[gradstudentstudies]

Finally finished my social and differential papers. Now to conquer case conceptualizations...