One of the most grueling parts of the year is just a few short weeks away: Finals Week.  Finals can be one of the most stressful parts of the year, what with the reviewing and the late nights study sessions, but some or most of the stress can be avoided. If you prepare well for finals, you will be less stressed and probably be more successful. Here are some easy tips to prepare for your finals:

1. Do not cram. Studying over a long period of time is not nearly as beneficial for retaining information, according to the State University of New York. Study in 20-30 minute periods with small breaks in between each period.
2. Exercise. Exercise is a great way to relieve stress and clear your mind, making it easier to remember the information that you are studying.
3. Minimize distractions. A lot of people like to study with music or text friends while studying, but that actually harms your ability to remember information. If you must listen to music while studying, listen to instrumental music. It relieves stress, which can help remember information and help you sleep.
4. Avoid all-nighters. Many students pull all-nighters to cram for a final the next day, but it is not a good idea. This can impair reasoning and memory, which can lead to lower grades on your finals.
5. Take practice tests. Reviewing notes and reading textbooks is a decent way to review for finals, but practice tests, if available, can help you in the mindset of taking the actual test. Lots of textbook have practice tests at the end of each chapter, which are a great tool for preparing for the final.

Finals are a stressful part of the school year, but if you prepare correctly, there will be less stress and your score on the final will be better if have less stress.