With finals right around the corner there is a bittersweet feeling in the air. Winter break is so close, but with that comes projects, papers, a lot of studying, and those dreaded final exams. It’s hard to find our motivation and there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done that we need to. Here are a few tips to help you stay sane as the semester comes to an end.

Make a plan:
Write down the due date for each project, paper, presentation, final exam, etc. you still have to complete this semester. From there you can figure out what to prioritize and when to study certain subjects. With so much going on at once it can be easy to miss a deadline; this will help keep you on track. Break it up with what you are going to do each day. If you really want to stay on task, break it down by each hour.

Take study breaks:
It’s hard to stop studying when you get on a roll, but it’s important to find a good point to take a break. Your brain can only handle so much information at once. Take a fifteen minute break every hour to walk around, grab a snack, and give your brain a break. You will come back feeling refreshed and ready to roll again!

Reward yourself:
With the plan you just made, give yourself rewards for finishing a task. Did you study finance from noon to three like you planned on? If so, watch an episode of your favorite show on Netflix. This gives you an incentive to stay motivated and you will be excited when you finish. This can also be considered one of your study breaks!

Find a good study place:
Studying at your house can be hard with family, pets, and all of the other distractions found at home. Find a nice, quiet place where you can focus 100% and you aren’t tempted by all the distractions. The library has amazing study rooms that you can use for free. Just make sure you sign-up since it’s a busy time of the year.

Eat healthy:
It’s hard not to fill your body with caffeine and sugar during finals week, but all of that junk food will make you crash. Bring healthy snacks with you to study, such as almonds or a hard-boiled egg. They will boost your energy without the nasty side effects. If you’re like me and feel like you can’t survive without caffeine, try having tea instead of coffee, soda, or energy drinks. My favorite is the Lipton Pure Leaf tea. It has no sugar and comes in different flavors.
Get a good night’s sleep:
It may be tempting to pull an all-nighter, but those cram sessions aren’t worth it. The more tired you get, the less information you will retain. Cramming all night only leads to being sleep deprived the next day and not being able to focus on your exams. Give yourself some time to wind down at night and get some sleep; your body will thank you in the morning.