All high school students face it. Finals week. In most cases, it is a time of pain, anxiety and tears. You have exams to cram for, papers to write and presentations to give–all of which might determine if you pass or fail a class. Here are some tips that might help you pass this week with less stress.  

1. Avoid feeling overwhelmed.

Feeling overloaded with assignments can demotivate you. To evade this, make an agenda of what needs to be studied and finished. According to the Journal of Social Psychology, to-do lists with designated time slots increase the chances of finishing a task and lower stress. So add how much time you think it would take to finish a specific assignment to your agenda. While assigning times, remember to be realistic. For example, it would probably not be practical to give yourself one night to review a whole semester’s worth of information.

2. Study ahead of time.

Adding on to the previous tip, avoid cramming as much as possible. If you haven’t started studying for your finals, it’s not too late to start now. Plan out what you’re need to study each day, leading up to the final.  If you feel like you don’t have enough time, take a deep breath, and study what you can. Do not opt to pull all-nighters. According to the National Sleep Foundation, if you stay up all night studying, you will have trouble retaining material.

3. Complete any review guides or practice tests.

If teachers hand out reviews or practice tests, there is a high probability similar questions will show up on your final. It’s always a good idea to finish those assignments to obtain an idea of what the exam’s structure and questions will be like.

4. Exercise and eat healthy.

This is a crucial time to nourish your body with good nutrients and refresh it with light exercise. Fruits and vegetables will help you stay sharp and energetic and according to Charles H. Hillman, Ph.D. and associate professor at the University of Ill. at Urbana-Champaign, exercise improves attention, memory and accuracy.

5. Take advantage of school resources.

Link Crew holds study sessions for freshmen who need help reviewing material after school from 3-5 p.m. Sessions are held Jan. 30 and 31.

If you follow these pointers, you will have an easier time finishing up the semester. Throughout this entire week, remember to breathe and take each final one at a time.