Finals Survival
Sitting in the library, I see students who have been here for a few hours and students who have been here all day. I had to walk all three floors before I found a table that was free. It is dead week, and serious preparation for finals week has begun. However, if students were to begin studying for finals long before dead week, I honestly think that all the stress of finals week would be lessened.
Oftentimes, professors do not tell you whether your exam will be cumulative or just over the last few lessons of the semester. Ideally, if more students were to study some of the material presented in class each day, after class or during the week, they wouldn’t have to cram right before finals week. Sure, there would still be the last-minute studying over all the material, but students would have more of a grasp of the material, because they would have been looking at it all along.
The library’s new extended hours only encourage students to procrastinate. It is very considerate of the library staff to stay later, but many students likely will use the 24-hour policy as an excuse to delay cramming until the night before an exam. In actuality, when students study too long without a break, their brains cannot remember all the information. Your brain needs a break to remember all the material you need for a final.
When you work your brain continuously, staying in the library with the harsh lights, or staring at your book or computer, chances are your brain will not successfully recall all of the necessary material. I see my friends stay up late, neglecting their sleep, only to be exhausted the next day for classes and barely able to remember what their lectures were about. Then, they have to take multiple naps the next day. Don’t get me wrong, naps are good for you, but they are not a substitute for a full night’s sleep. If only students went to bed earlier, perhaps neglecting that last bit of reading, or even being proactive and reading it earlier, then they would be able to function better the following day.
Because finals are approaching and everyone is focusing solely on studying, students often rely on snack foods. As I’m sitting here in the library, I have seen people eat toaster pastries, snack cakes, fast food, trail mix, cookies—you name it, someone was probably eating it.
Most of these foods are not what the brain needs for studying. You need healthy food when you’re studying, not junk food, even if junk food is easier and faster to get. Your body needs protein and carbs while you study. You should not rely on sugars and fats for energy, because these sources will not adequately sustain your studying.
What I’ve probably heard the most while in the library are the coughs and the sneezes. All of these bodily functions make me want to be in a hazardous materials suit. The combination of illness and a lack of sleep is not the right recipe for finals. The later students stay up, the more at risk their bodies are to contracting the various illnesses that are going around this time of year.
Even though we all need to do well on our finals, we must be smarter about studying. Study what you need to study for an appropriate amount of time, but don’t overdo it. Your brain won’t remember half of the material when the test is in front of you. If you stay up late the night before your final, you risk getting sick before your final or falling asleep. You need a solid night’s rest. Also, eat well during the week you are studying because your brain needs real food, not just sugar. By not stressing, studying appropriately, getting your sleep and maintaining a healthy diet, you will be more likely to achieve success during finals week.
