by Kristi Rolf
It’s the most wonderful time of the year… or is it?
For Roanoke students, holiday cheer will be on the back burner until Friday, December 16 when the last exams are given and grades are out of our hands at last. The weeks until then can be long and stressful, but they do not have to be!
As a senior, this will be my seventh final exam week, so I’ve amassed a few tips and tricks to help you survive and possibly even thrive this finals season.
- SLEEP! Sleep comes first because it is my most essential advice. Do not pull an all-nighter, ever. Staying up too late will make you too tired to remember anything you’ve studied, and being tired and stressed is a hundred times worse than just being stressed. I recommend getting your average night’s sleep, at a minimum.
- Plan time to do nothing. My favorite way to do this is just sitting in Commons for a while with some friends and just talking. Or channel a cat– find a sunny window and soak in some rays. However you do it, take time to be still and rest.
- Take a walk. Walking is my favorite exercise that does not feel like exercise. Put on your headphones, queue that perfect playlist and wander around campus or nearby neighborhoods. These walks are my favorite because they give me time to think and sometimes pretend that I’m a character in a movie with that perfect soundtrack in the background.
- Drink more water than caffeine. Energy drinks, espresso, whatever your fuel of choice, make sure you match your consumption with plenty of good old H2O. Balancing caffeination with hydration is important to prevent unnecessary headaches and jitters.
If you get enough sleep, plan down time, take a few walks, and keep your water bottle handy, you will make this the smoothest finals week yet. And no I did not forget, I know you will give the kicking post a good whack before every exam.
Good luck, Maroons!
