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TIPS FOR CONQUERING FINALS WEEK: SMARTY PI STYLE

Writer's picture: Maia BennettMaia Bennett

It's BIG BRAIN week! Whip out those flare pens, ladies! Let's give our notes the attention they've been craving all semester.


Tip #1 - Sleep is MANDATORY


Diss the all-nighter mindset! This is especially important if you have finals on multiple days this week. When you feel good, you preform well. While caffeine is our friend, it cannot replace a pattern of sleep loss. Be realistic about the amount of sleep you need to perform your best. Spoiler Alert: It is more than 6 hours! Evaluate how much conscious studying actually happens on Quizlet after midnight, and whether or not that time is better spent recharging. Let's keep our drool on the pillow and off the scantron!


Tip #2 - Listen to your brain


There are a ton of ways to study, and I encourage you to stick with what works for you. Finals week is not the best time to experiment with new study tactics, but if you are still a few days out from your exam, go for it! Evaluate your progress with practice problems, and revert to old methods if you are not improving. A studying technique that suits me as a visual learner is rewriting my notes in pretty colors, adding diagrams/charts, and creating a table of contents with the exam's topics.

Keep in mind that the most knowledgeable person in your lecture hall is your professor! They have watched countless students in your shoes. If they are harping on practice problems in class, do those to study. If they say a topic is commonly missed by students, understand the common mistake, and how to avoid it.


TIP #3- Productive breaks


Academic craze is a real thing! It's no secret that taking breaks pays off. I understand the desire to reach for TikTok and slip into lizard brain during this time, but I encourage you to do something different. Apply yourself differently. Go for a workout, call your mom, draw a picture, or find a Christmas dessert recipe you will make at home. If you keep yourself productive on your left-brain break, the transition back to studying will be easier. Instead of reactivating your brain, you are simply switching gears. Those who succeed are those who know what causes their burnout, and how to delay it!


Tip #4 - alarms, alarms, alarms!


If your professor has refused late behavior all semester, there is a slim chance of them pitying you now. There is no shame in setting your 8:00, 8:05, 8:10, and 8:15am alarms this week. For extra precaution, ask your roommate to shake you as they get up, request a wake-up call from your RM, place your alarm across the room—anything! Also, consider waking up ten minutes earlier than usual. Use that time to do something you enjoy. Perhaps, relaxing with coffee and breakfast or calling a friend before you are catapulted into the exam rush.


Tip #5 -REFLECT


Once your exam is over, the outcome is out of your control. If you are disappointed in your exam performance, you are likely not the only one. Find a classmate to commiserate with, and get the bad vibes out of your system. While your next exam cannot change this one, demonstrate your ability to persevere. One unfortunate exam is not the end of your academic excellence, but two might sting. If you have gotten this far, you are more than capable of pushing through!



ADPI BELIEVES IN YOU!


Never forget the hundreds of sisters who are supporting you this week! Do not be afraid to reach out to an older sister over a final you are dreading. In any case, our Wellness Specialist is here for you. You are not alone; Beta Epsilon will be joining in on your sigh of relief next week!

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