Finals week is the time of year when all of your good habits like sleeping, eating healthy, and exercising go right out of the window. Most of your meals turn into coffee and a snack, you don’t have the time or energy to work out, and it’s so easy to tell yourself you have to stay up to study and pull three all-nighters in a row. However, this is the time of year that you should focus on your health the most. Your success in finals can be directly traced back to whether or not you ate well or slept at all.

With this in mind, prepare for finals week by making a study plan. Make sure you know when all of your finals are and then you can plan the rest of the week around it. Even though it sounds silly, schedule time to eat, sleep, and get some physical activity. Writing these things down will help you remember to follow your schedule when the time comes, and you’ll be less likely to skip them when you’re feeling overwhelmed.  Additionally, if you are too overwhelmed with finals, remember there are people you can talk to about how you feel. There are mental health counselors, friends, and mentors who are all willing to help you when you need it. Keep an eye out for campus de-stress events as well, as many colleges hold events during finals week specifically to help you de-stress.

Finals week is the summation of all the hard work you’ve put into the semester. Take a deep breath, focus on yourself and your studies and you’ll do well. There is no reason to panic, you’re at the final step and then you’ll be halfway done your freshman year!