Tips for Finals Week | Bella Hirst

Happy finals week Ravens!

Now, I know what you’re thinking. The words “happy” and “finals week” don’t tend to go together. School is always stressful, but finals week is an incredibly stressful time, especially at CCA, where the pressure can feel insurmountably high.

That’s why it’s important to take care of yourself during this time, so without further ado, here’s a few things you can do to feel your best during finals week!

1. Take study breaks: It may be tempting to use up all of your free time studying, but I promise you, it’s not worth it. Your brain retains information best when it’s well-rested, so make sure to frequently take breaks while you’re studying! I personally prefer a 15 minute break every 30, but you should find what works for you and your brain.

2. Eat well: In the busyness of finals, it’s easy for a few things to slip your mind, like, I don’t know, eating a proper meal? And no, coffee is not a meal. Eating balanced, nutritious meals will not only help you feel less physically tired, it will help you feel less mentally tired. If you want to do well on your finals, it’s important to give your mind and your body the best possible tools to do so.

3. Drink water: In a similar vein to the last one, drinking enough water is incredibly important this week (well, it’s always incredibly important, but this week especially). Staying hydrated can help your brain perform at its best, and I promise you, you’ll feel a lot better if you’re not thirsty all the time. As an added bonus, drinking water is great for your skin! And with the stress of finals week (plus wearing a mask all day), I think our skin needs as much help as it can get.

4. Spend time with your friends: During a week like this, spending your free time with your friends can seem like a massive waste of time, but I promise you, it doesn’t have to be! Chances are, you and your friends are taking similar classes. Get together and study! It’ll be a good way for you to be (and feel) productive, while still making studying enjoyable and getting to spend time with your friends. I’ve also found that when I’m studying with other people, I tend to stay more on task. Plus, while you’re studying, you have the combined knowledge of two (or more) people to work with. If you don’t understand something, someone else probably will. And if not, you can make the Google journey together. Make sure to talk about the concepts together, as it works wonders when it comes to understanding something.

Finals week is incredibly stressful, but I promise, you will make it through the week. You’re going to do well on your finals, but please, please, PLEASE remember to take care of yourself! Your mental health is far more important than your grade on any test (yes, even a final). So Ravens, go forth and take those finals! You’ve got this.