Finals are tough. Sweet and simple. They just are, no matter how long you’ve been a high schooler. Think of finals as a sport. A gladiator sport like…running. Running a race. And what do you always have to do before you run a race? No, not eat a whole bag of Tostitos and cry (but you were close), you gotta stretch. So here are some ways to stretch yourself out before finals.
The first thing you have to remember to do is eat, sleep, and move around. Remember, in elementary school, before the computer tests – MAP, or whatever, the teacher would stand in front of the class and say, “Eat a good breakfast, get a good night’s sleep”? Well, that’s still true to this day. Eating in the morning is really important – it kicks off your day and helps you think way better. Even if it’s a handful of shredded cheese or a whole bowl of cereal, just eat something! Sleeping is also super important, too – I see you, staying up on Instagram until one in the morning, getting maybe 5 hours of sleep, then complaining about how tired you are all day at school. That’s on YOU, hon! Shut off the electronics an hour before bed, like right before you take a shower, and don’t get back on until at least 30 minutes after you’ve woken up the next day. Getting a solid 9 hours is important. Lastly, moving around, even if it’s as simple as walking around, helps get your blood circulating through your body and it clears up your brain so you can think about what’s really important.
Second off, you have to remember to focus on you in the midst of all of your preparation. Taking a mental health day isn’t really a good thing to do right now – missing a day of school to take a break just means more school when you come back. Ranting about your life to someone, or on social media, doesn’t help at all either: what you put out, you get back. So if you’re putting negativity out all of the time, all you’re going to get back is negativity. Instead, try practicing a tactic called mindfulness, or being aware of what’s going on and being able to accept it. A few mindfulness exercises can go as follows: lay down somewhere quiet. Think about a few things that went well or that you enjoyed today. Then, think about two things that didn’t go as well, and then think of a positive spin on them. Or, think of something you’ve wanted to do for a while. Imagine yourself doing it. Or even easier, talk o someone you can trust, face-to-face – positively venting to someone who will listen and respect your situation is a great way to blow off steam.
Another good thing you can do to help yourself along is study in chunks. Set a timer for an hour or so’s worth of work, and then a ten minute (and no more!) break. This allows you study a decent amount of time and get a good amount of work done, and but then get a time period to breathe. Designate chunks to certain periods based on workload and how well you know the topics, for example, if you know a lot about Spanish only study for an hour, but if you’re unsure about those chemistry terms then use three chunks, or until you feel like you have everything down. A few helpful things you can do to remember things are to make acronyms to remember a set of terms (like FANBOYS stands for; for, and, nor, etc.), translate documents into “student-friendly” terms so you can understand them more informally rather than formally, or describe the points and terms in a more informal matter: like if you need to say “Martin Luther told the Catholic Church ‘You suck, here’s 95 reasons why’ in 1517” to remember that Martin Luther wrote the 95 Theses in 1517, then so be it. What matters is that you get the content, not that you can regurgitate it back up when you’re asked.
Last but not least, take a big break! You’ve worked really hard this week and we’re really proud of you for doing so much to collect those coins! It’ll all pay off when you’re sitting in your high rise office looking over Manhattan, a glass of champagne in your hand brought in by your intern. At the end of the day each day, take a nap, or listen to music, or eat a snack, or go somewhere with your friends. Working hard in school is important, but so are you! Nothing is more important than how you feel, and even though you should be giving you all this week, you have to remember that it’s never okay to put your grades before your emotional well being or physical well being. If you need to be reminded to step back and take a breath this week, here it is: step back and take a breath! Right now. Close your eyes for a second, take a deep breath in through your nose, and out through your mouth. You can do it. You got this! We’re cheering for you!
As finals week approaches, it’s important you know these steps as a starter. It’s important to worry about your mental health and your grades this week! Remember: stay sane, stay safe. We believe in you!