This school year is coming to a close and finals are approaching. Everyone has worked so hard throughout this semester, and now is the time to make it count. It is vital to make sure you know how to prepare for finals and ensure your success.

Making sure that you study beforehand and know all the material will make finals week significantly less stressful. Doing things like going over past assignments and tests, seeing things you have gotten wrong in the past, and reviewing past notes can help you be more prepared on test day. Something experts advise against, however, is the ever popular ‘cramming’ method, where students try to study the entire semester in the night before the final. It may seem like a good idea to get some extra review before finals day, but this could actually do more harm than good. A lack of sleep can not only lead to difficulty concentrating, but also impaired judgement and a slowed thought process. No matter how much studying you do the night before, if you don’t get enough sleep you won’t be able to perform your best on the tests anyways.

As a matter of fact, one of the most important practices you can do is to make sure you get enough rest the night before, and it is also important to have a good healthy breakfast in the morning as well. It may seem obvious, but a good proper meal beforehand can really make or break your performance. Not eating well enough can affect your focus as well as contribute to stress. It is always a good idea to make sure you eat a hearty dinner and a nutritious breakfast before a big test. Some exercise the day before could also be beneficial. Studies show that exercise is not only good for you physically, but mentally as well and could help you focus. Just be sure not to over exert yourself or else you will be sore or fatigued the next day.

Everyone has already put so much work into these subjects throughout the semester, it can seem quite daunting having to test over all of the material you’ve covered. Just remember to breathe and believe in yourself.