By: Lily Elkhay
For many of us, this is our first complete spring semester here at UMass in person. Like many, I am itching for this semester to be over to begin enjoying the nice weather and free time with friends and family. Staying motivated and focused on getting work done has become more and more difficult, as the excitement of summer grows closer. However, as the semester wraps up and finals creep up, it is important to stay in the moment and focused on schoolwork. While summer may be much more exciting than finals, I promise vacation is not going anywhere, so it is important to look at the present for the next couple of weeks. Especially for many classes, these last assignments and exams are the ones weighed most heavily for the final grade.
One of my favorite ways to stay organized during finals that I begin doing my first semester of college, back in Fall 2019, is using the sticky note feature to display reminders on my desktop. Specifically, on the sticky note, I list all my classes and make bullets under each one of the remaining assignments and exams, along with their due dates. Seeing all my assignments makes me feel less overwhelmed because at this point in the semester there are only a few bullets under each class. It also does not let me forget an assignment or its due date, as I am constantly on my laptop for school. As a bonus, deleting a bullet after completing and submitting an assignment is a weight off my shoulders each time, as I can visually see the sticky note get shorter and shorter.
It is extremely easy to feel burnt out after hours in the library. Remember to take frequent breaks to avoid feeling burnt out and get fresh air. Make mini-goals and spread your assignments and studying over several days, instead of cramming at the last minute to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Especially as the semester wraps up, I find looking at my sticky note that many of the assignments are due on or around the same date. Instead of cramming everything for the night before, scheduling blocks of time to work on assignments for the days leading up to the due dates will help reduce feeling overwhelmed. Also, not procrastinating is always worth it in the end when you are able to sleep soundly the night before an exam. Another studying tip I have for finals is making incentives. Telling yourself you can treat yourself to a smoothie at the Isenberg café, or whatever treat to make your day a little brighter, after studying one more chapter of the essay material or after writing one more paper toward your essay is always a great incentive to stay focused and give yourself something to look forward to. It can be used as a motivator to help begin sitting down to focus on work. That being said, it is also a great idea to fuel your body with snacks during studying sessions to support and energize your cognitive function!
It is important to take extra time to care for yourself during finals. As the weather warms up, I love spending time outside and going on walks by myself with a good playlist to clear my head from the stress of upcoming assignments and exams. Thinking about the huge assignments and exams that could possibly define your final grade can be incredibly stressful. Finding healthy ways to release stress is extremely important, whether that be taking a peaceful walk, taking a long and hot shower, hitting the gym, having your favorite carton of Ben & Jerrys, or streaming a movie on Netflix. Taking finals season day by day, with relaxation in between, will help you ace your assignments.