Hello again, Bison! We are really on the home stretch here—only a few weeks left until finals! Now is the time when we lose steam. However, we do not have time to lose steam! We’ve got work to do! I am here to give you some encouragement on how to prepare yourselves for these next couple of weeks. Finals preparation starts now (if it hasn’t already).

Check your planner (planner required)

I so hope you all have planners. I don’t think I would turn in a single assignment on time if I did not utilize my planner. I personally like to fill out my planner at the beginning of the semester the second I get my syllabus for each of my classes. This means I do not have to worry about checking the syllabus every time I am concerned about a due date. It is all in my planner.

If you are like me, or some variation of me (maybe just a loose planner user), check your planners! See what you have due within the next few weeks! The sooner you get through all of that, the sooner you can buckle down on your finals. I personally find my head to be too clouded by other assignments to be able to do any finals work. Because of this, I need to get everything else due done before I can even think about finals. I know this is not good, because it means I have way less time than I could to study for finals; however, it makes finals significantly less stressful because I can just focus on the tasks at hand. I am not saying to be exactly like me. I am unnecessarily stressed. However, do consider working ahead on some other things to ease some of the pressure for yourself. You will not regret it.

Make a study guide

I know I am not the first person to have told you this. I know this might sound annoying, but make a study guide! Taking notes by hand is scientifically proven to help you remember things. Handwrite a study guide. It will help jot your memory, keep the memories in your head because they are written by hand and organize everything you will need to know for your exams! Study guides are a foolproof way to prepare yourself for finals. There is a reason that professors encourage study guides. They work. Take the burden of messy notes off of your plate. Organize them into a study guide.

Set aside time

The last few weeks of school are bound to be busy. We want to hang out with our friends before we part with them for the summer. We want to spend time outside enjoying the weather. Maybe you even have a job, which is going to take up a lot of time. Make sure, however, that you are leaving yourself time to study. Do not put it off for two in the morning. You will not remember the things you studied. Make time to study for finals. Ensure that you have time to prepare whatever you need to prepare. Do not rush yourself. Do not put your study time immediately before or after something stressful. Bonus if you can get coffee to help your studying. I think it really works. Extra bonus if you can study with friends. Then, you do not have to worry about not spending enough time with your friends. Get some of that time in while you are also being productive. 

Start packing now

This tip is only relevant if you are moving out at the end of the semester. Moving out is a very stressful process. It takes a lot of planning, preparing and packing. This process cannot (or maybe just should not) happen overnight. It also becomes significantly more stressful if it is done simultaneously with finals. Give yourself time to get your packing done. Start now, if you have not already. Start by packing away some of the clothing you do not see yourself wearing within the next couple of weeks. Maybe you have a few toiletries that you no longer use. Or some decorations that you do not find vital to your atmosphere.

Pack away the things that you will not miss. Pack frequently. Every few days, find a couple more things to put away. You will be surprised how little of an effect this will have. I packed away an entire suitcase of various things. Can I tell by the looks of my closet? Absolutely not. Is that a big chunk of stress removed? Absolutely. You do not need more to be stressed about. Do yourself a favor and start packing now.

You’ve got this, Bison. Only a few weeks left. I hope that these tips can be helpful to someone as they are definitely helpful to me. From the bottom of my heart, good luck. We are so close. Stay strong, not stressed.