Ouachita Stories

And so here we are! Staring the infamous Finals Week dead in the face. You’re living on caffeine and what pennies are left of your Chick money, and you are recycling the same three pairs of sweatpants through your wardrobe. It seems like you have a paper due every five minutes, and somehow, in between being chained to your laptop and putting finishing touches on projects, you also have to find time to begin studying for a few make-it-or-break-it exams. Stress? What stress? Am I right?

Although all of the busyness and stress probably will never be totally eliminated from this time of semester in your college career, there are a few things that can be done to actually help lessen some of the anxiety that you are feeling and help you perform better on your exams.

• Make a plan. Starting immediately, make a list of everything that you need to accomplish from now through the moment you are driving off campus heading home for Christmas Break. Include every exam, paper, assignment and meeting. Don’t forget dinner plans you promised with a friend that may be leaving after this semester, and don’t forget to dig back through your GroupMe messages to find times for study groups. Find the breaks in your schedule, and pencil in study time in manageable chunks. If you’re a nap-taker, pencil that in, too. Keeping your schedule for the next week as organized and as routine as possible will help you not feel so scattered or overwhelmed.

• Find a study spot where you will actually study. You may be able to study in your dorm room or in the student center without the temptation of doing everything but studying, but a lot of people are more productive when in a more formal study environment. The library is a great place to get some studying done, as well as private study rooms available through the Academic Success Center. Remember, the goal here is to make the best use of your study time, so pick a place where you will do just that.

• Take a break. Every hour or so of studying deserves a break. Grabbing a snack, taking a quick walk or jumping on Snapchat for a few minutes will recharge your batteries just enough for the next hour or two. Cramming and studying for 8 hours straight will only add to your stress level.

• Surround yourself with other motivated people. Nothing will zap your motivation and energy to knock out some serious study time than a group of friends whose study time consists only of memorizing the Waffle House menu at 2 a.m. the morning before you are to take the exam that you are most worried about. Find your friends who are focused and in the study zone, too. You will work better and feed off of their motivation when yours is running dry. Also, don’t forget to check in with your loved ones. Reminding yourself that you are loved and cared for and that you have a hefty support system will also help refill your tank. 

• Wear comfy clothes. It should be a law that no one is allowed to dress up during finals week. Break out what you are most comfortable in. If that means sweats or leggings, flannel shirts and cozy socks for the next 10 days, then so be it. You are most productive when you are relaxed, so dress for it.

• Think about what you’re eating. As far as food, our brains don’t operate well if we’re hungry or if we are eating food out of our norm, so keep yourself fed well with meals and snacks, but this week is definitely not the week to pick up any new diets or fad eating habits. We’ve always heard that we should eat a good breakfast before a test. True. If you aren’t normally a breakfast eater, but you decide to head to the Caf for a meal of bacon and eggs before your 8 a.m. final, your stomach isn’t going to be doing you any favors. Grab a muffin and treat the morning like any other morning. Your stomach, brain and grade will thank you.

• Calm down. If you have done what you can throughout the semester to be a conscientious student, then, yes, these exams are a big deal, but, no, they are not life-altering. The earth will continue to orbit around the sun after this week is over, I promise. At this point, doing what you can to put in manageable and adequate study time and keeping yourself healthy is what will hurl you towards the finish line of this semester. Don’t jeopardize your performance on a test because you’ve allowed your anxiety levels to reach a point of no return. 

You can do this! No one ever said that finals week was going to be a breeze, but it doesn’t have to be the source of unnecessary stress. Take a deep breath, get some sun on your face and get to studying!



Contact the Academic Success Center for any information or questions regarding Test Prep Sessions or scheduling a private study room. The ASC is located in Lile Hall 122, or requests can be emailed to [email protected] . A schedule for finals tutoring sessions is also available here.

Amber Goodrum serves as OBU’s Student Success Coordinator

 

 

< Previous – FallAtOuachita: Our favorite campus photos from fall 2016 <

Ouachita Voices Blog Home

> Next – Survive finals with Christmas festivities >

Do you have a story you’d like to tell on the Ouachita Voices blog? Or a friend who needs to tell a story on the blog? Contact [email protected] with your idea.