♫ It’s the most stressful time of the year! ♫   December is always the most busy month. There is shopping to be done and family to visit. The end of the semester is hurdling closer so teachers are trying to wrap up the lessons, making tests an everyday occurrence. Worst of all, finals are approaching. Get ready for sleepless nights full of coffee and regret as we cram last minute for exams worth 20% of our grade. But what if I told you there was an easier way to study for finals?

Here are some tips to make Finals Week easier on you:

1. Get plenty of rest. Even if you study all night, you will flunk your test if you’re too tired to think straight.
2. Begin studying weeks before your final. You know what classes you’re going to have a final in, and you can probably guess what’s going to be on it. Begin reviewing your notes early. Maybe you can even ask your teacher for a study guide early. If you do this, you won’t feel the stress of last minute cramming, and you can be sure to get plenty of sleep the night before your final.
3. Adopt the 50-10 rule. When you have hours of homework to do in one night, spend 50 minutes of every hour working. Spend the last ten minutes relaxing and clearing your head. This will prevent you from getting burnt out and overwhelmed. You should also only study for an hour or so on each topic a day. Study a little bit every night.
4. Chew gum while studying and then chew the same gum during your test. Gum keeps you more awake than coffee does. Also, scientists say  chewing the same flavor of gum helps you recall more of the information you read.
5. Study with your friends. As long as you don’t get distracted, studying in groups can keep you motivated and offer new studying styles and information.
6. Use notecards. As elementary as it seems, memorization and repetition are a great way to remember information.
7. Take avid notes during review sessions. Write them down manually instead of typing. Hand writing helps information stick in your mind.
8. On the day of your finals, dress comfortably and eat a good breakfast. Pack a snack for the classes that are far away from lunch.