Last night I had that wonderful feeling you get when you finish a project and check it off of your to-do list. But I am not done yet, I have two more papers to complete and four final exams I need to prepare for. Sound familiar? I bet! It is that time of the year again where one finds the end of the semester to-do list looking like this: semester projects, papers and preparing for final exams. It’s all stressful stuff! Here are a few tips to help.

Sleep
Breathe, relax, and get some sleep. Sleep is good for you. Even though sleep may seem impossible to fit into your schedule it is necessary if you want to perform at your best.

Don’t procrastinate
Keep on working on that project or paper. The more you hack away at it a little at a time, the sooner it will get done. Do not wait until the last minute. I myself have to re-learn this lesson every semester. The stress that comes with putting something off until the last minute is not fun to deal with.

Find a place conductive to your work
With preparing for exams, writing papers or working on projects you should find a comfy spot where you can get your work done. This can be anywhere: a coffee shop, the library, an out of the way study area in a hallway on campus, or at home. Some find that relaxing music helps, while others prefer silence. Let the people in your life know that you are working on schoolwork and you do not want to be bugged. Your family or roommates should respect this. If your roommates are in school, they are probably having their own study time as well.

Take breaks
Do not study for eight hours straight. It will drive you crazy. Do some household chores, like laundry, during your study time. It’s a good way to feel super productive. I have a friend who likes to bake cookies while she is doing her homework. I like that idea, you can have a yummy treat waiting for you once you are done. Perhaps in the middle of your busy day of studying you could schedule lunch with friends or family to get away for a while. Another way to get out of the house during your study day would be to go on a walk or a run.

Focus
Do not stress about everything on your to do list at once. Just focus on getting that one thing you working on done. Or that one subject, book, or concept you’re studying.

I know you can do it. I know we can all get through this. It all will be over soon. I hope everyone’s final exams go well, and enjoy your last bit of the semester.