It’s finals week, a stressful time for any college student. Below are some tips and suggestions from fellow Rams.

1. Don’t over-think daunting tasks. “Just trust your gut with what you’ve learned this semester. Just breathe and compartmentalize. Go step by step.” (Tanner Diggs, fourth year theater major)
2. Stay prepared, you don’t have to get prepared. “If you don’t fall behind all semester, then you don’t have to make up for it. For me, a lot of it was just managing anxiety. It was like I’m not going to learn everything I need to learn if I don’t already know it.” (Dr. Dennis Hall, Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students)
3. Write out your schedule. “It’s super helpful to write out all of your final times and schedule on a bright paper and hang it on your wall where you can see it. For visual people, this is literally the best way to tackle that senioritus or end-of-year breakdowns! (Bailey O’Donnell, second year political science and English major)
4. Start a study group. “If you didn’t understand a concept but someone else did, then you guys can exchange and teach each other that way.” (Hannah Bokal, fourth year exercise science major)
5. SLEEP! SLEEP! SLEEP! “I would go to bed earlier because, for me, I would feel refreshed. Even if I thought I hadn’t studied totally, I found that I [would do] better if I got sleep, than if I stayed up late studying. It wouldn’t do me any good if I didn’t feel well for the test.” (Amy Tate-Almy, Alumni Event Coordinator and class of ’95)
6. Take things one step at a time. “I personally have a form of meditation. It’s more like a breathing exercise and a mindfulness exercise of just breathing in and out and picturing yourself doing the thing that you want to be doing.” (Tanner Diggs, fourth year theater major)
7. Create a studying game plan. “I know finals can be overwhelming, especially if you have more than one [exam]. So just figure out which one comes first and then have a game plan of how to attack it, whether it’s reviewing old tests or meeting with the professor. Then just take small steps and try not to overpower yourself with everything.” (Hannah Bokal, fourth year exercise science major)
8. Utilize professors as a resource. “I would also say work with your professors. You know, I think one of the most underutilized resources that are available to students is the professor. Just make sure that you recognize it and talk to them and use them as a resource gap. Not just for the finals but leading up to it, for everything; it helps. (Dr. Dennis Hall, Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students)
9. It’s okay to take a break. “Give yourself little breaks when you are studying and don’t be hard on yourself! You got this Ramily!” (Bailey O’Donnell, second year political science and English major)
10. Realize all the accomplishments you have achieved this year. This has been our first time back on campus full-time, so cut yourself some slack! (The Rambler)