Around this time, every year, students from everywhere drown themselves in stress as the final countdown for the end of the school year begins. This school year period is typically called “finals season”, when classes wrap up their courses for the school year with a major test or project to prove that they have been listening and paying attention to the class. This leads to all sorts of overwhelming, strong feelings, such as stress, anxiety, etc., in students. To tackle this problem, I have a few tips that might prevent you from insanity speaking from personal experience.

First tip: sleep! This might be a cliché, and you might have heard this countless times, but it’s actually worth listening to. During this period, many students pull all-nighters to study for exams they have. Though this might seem effective and useful to have that extra time, it’s actually extremely useless. When you feel sleepy, your brain doesn’t function properly, so obtaining or learning new information while half-asleep won’t help you at all because it won’t even be absorbed completely in your brain, so all that studying was worthless. So, if you pull an all-nighter, you get less sleep, and like I said, no sleep means your brain is unable to function properly. You’d likely perform better on a test if you get a good sleep and study less than studying so much just for your mind to not retain that information, and you’re sleepy. So, at all costs, try to avoid the all-nighter trap because getting enough sleep is as important as studying for your exams. 

Next up, I recommend the “study smarter, not harder” method. Studying hard might benefit you and help with your performance in your exams, but there are actually ways to lessen those study times and still retain and review information, and it might be more effective. Instead of mindlessly going over notes or re-reading your textbook when you have an exam, if you use other methods of studying,  it can help you store that information in your brain faster and more effectively.  This can be using flashcards, flowcharts, mind maps, teaching a friend, forming study groups–you name it. You can find various study methods online, but keep in mind that everyone learns differently, so one study technique can work for others but not for you. 

Another tip I recommend is to take care of yourself. This isn’t talked about enough as much but taking care of yourself is as important as your exams. Take breaks while you’re studying, stay hydrated, and make sure to eat properly. Don’t skip meals just because you need to work on something. Your brain can’t function well with an empty stomach. Taking short walks outside or just going outside in nature can help clear your mind, too. Remember, your well-being comes first, so do some self-care!

This last tip may be difficult for people to understand or retrieve, but trust me, it’s difficult for me too; but your worth isn’t defined by your grades. Just because you didn’t do well in Chemistry class or English class, it doesn’t mean you’re a failure. People aren’t perfect—and that’s okay. Whether you got an A or a B or a C, or a D, it’s alright. Struggling at something challenging is actually good for the brain, so praise yourself for trying instead of beating yourself up for a grade that won’t determine your future. 

Disclaimer: Although I have given these tips, please keep in mind that I am not a licensed psychologist or mental health professional—just a fellow student who is on the boat and sharing some things that might help other students in tackling these hard times. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or need someone to talk to, please don’t be afraid to reach out for help by texting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. You matter.