Ahhhh finals week. The infamous period of a students life where nothing is certain, especially sleep. Hours spent away staring endlessly into textbooks, guzzling caffeinated beverages, all the while hopelessly dreaming of a more innocent time.

Often times it seems like the odds are never in our favor. The to-do list grows larger, as does our hope for having the time to watch Netflix (word to the wise, the end of school is not the most ideal time to start a new show, trust me).

But hey, summer is quickly approaching, soon you are off to exciting new adventures, whether it be going home to revisit some loved ones, working, or maybe starting an internship! But until then, you are faced with the reality that some try their hardest to deny. So how can we best make it through this often difficult week? Fear not, check out these pro-tips to keep you afloat! (because believe it or not, you’ll survive and life will continue as we know it…I promise).

Tips for stayin’ alive:

• Practice self care. This means that, unlike what I jokingly said before, you should absolutely try to sleep as much as you can, or at least nap as frequently as possible.
• Move around. Even if that means going outside for a 20 minute walk to get some fresh air. You’ll likely be more efficient and productive when you return to work.
• Find your study space. Whether that’s a library, browsing room, or your secret blanket fort you’ve created for yourself, find somewhere you’re comfortable and can focus.
• Nourish your body.Try to eat wholesome meals or snacks and hydrate, your body will thank you later.
• Take efficient mini-breaks. About every two hours your brain gets tired, energize it by giving it 5 minutes to breathe deeply, do jumping jacks, or smell the roses (literally, have you been to the Rose Garden recently? It’s perfection.)
• Interact with other humans if you feel the urge. It’s can be nice to have someone to talk to if you feel like you need to vent, get an energy boost, or just share a laugh.
• Monitor social media. Trust me folks, having Tumblr on your phone is tooooo tempting, but be aware of those mini-breaks, because before you know it, you’ve spent 45 minutes Snapchatting, Facebooking, and Instragramming (those are verbs, right?).

While I hope these are helpful, finals are only as big of a deal as we make them out to be in our heads. Just remember, it’s just a test and only a paper, while it can seem stressful, you are still a person of self worth and your grades do not and will not change that.

STAY POSITIVE PEEPS AND REMEMBER IF RYAN GOSLING BELIEVES IN YOU, YOU SHOULD BELIEVE IN YOU!

Stay calm and take many deep breaths.

Keep rockin,

Isabella