With the long weekend coming to an end, Beaver Nation is looking at the last stretch of fall term. When it seems that we’re so close yet so far from the end, it can be difficult to kick it into gear for the final stretch. Luckily, the staff at the Academic Success Center (ASC) has some advice for people who don’t know where to start when it comes to preparing for finals.

“I think making a detailed schedule is a great way to prepare for finals and have a successful end of the term,”  said a student strategist at the Academic Success Center. “Here at the Academic Success Center, we have Finals Survival Guides with a large calendar of weeks 9 through 12 so you can write in all the assignments and exams due at the end of the term. We recommend breaking up your studying and writing down everything you’re going to accomplish each day. This helps avoid cramming at the last minute and leads to better retention of your subject matter.”

“Spacing out studying is a key way to improving recall over time. Sleep in between study sessions helps us retain information so that we are ready for test day! Even if you just have five to 10 minutes between classes, take some time to quiz yourself or review notes so that you feel confident heading into your final,” said an academic coach at the ASC.

While it’s important to put a large portion of time into studying, it’s also important to keep your mind and body in tip-top shape, so you can perform the best you can and successfully retain information. “Get plenty of sleep and be sure to stay well hydrated. Get moving, either at the gym, on a walk or in your own living room. Exercise has been shown by studies to increase brain function. If running or weight lifting isn’t your thing, try yoga YouTube videos, solo dance parties, or a walk around a park. Also, remember to schedule time for study breaks. It’s important to de-stress during these times of high intensity” said an ASC student strategist.

“Some students will spend all their time studying and put less emphasis on the importance of self-care, while other students may focus more of their energy on self-care and less on the activities and actions needed to plan for what’s coming up in these last weeks and days of the term. We believe in the importance of taking time to reflect on strengths and challenge areas so that a student can determine what ending strong will look like and entail for them. Talking about it with someone can really help, and we’ll be here at the ASC to do just that” said ASC staff.

Throughout week 10 and finals week there will be events run by CAPS and the College of Public Health and Human Sciences to help students relieve stress. Make sure to work hard and play hard this finals season.