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Finish Strong this Semester | Tips & Tactics for Finals Season

Yes, we’ve all heard it. It is important to finish the semester strong. There are only a few weeks left in this semester. It's that time of the year when students are managing many deadlines for final papers, assignments and making time to study for the dreaded December finals!

As a student, it can be hard to keep up with studying, assignment due dates and focusing on tests. Take a minute to reflect that you've made it this far in the semester --  and that you navigated a pandemic, too! 

Here are some tips and tactics for preparing for a strong finish to the semester:

• Be an organized and detailed planner: Keep track of all assignments, final papers, presentations, coursework and exam dates. And make it visible! 
• Check in with your professors to make sure nothing is missing and to double-check on test times if you aren't sure.
• Chunk the work into daily bites: Set goals by chapters, number of pages or by course to make sure you are getting your reading done. Rank your assignments by priority, make sure the A’s (top priority) get done every day. Get a few of the B’s (the nice to get done and be ahead of schedule), and maybe a C (lower priority based on your workload timeline). Listening to music may help to calm you down, too. 
• Do your best to stay healthy: Try your best to stay well hydrated, eat healthy (save those sweets for the break!) and make sure you eat something for breakfast (a meal that is too often skipped).
• Treat yourself to your favorite coffee or go for a walk: We all know that caffeine is key for finals season, so why not have your favorite cup of “Joe?” Make something special at home or take a study break and visit your local coffee shop. Take a walk in your favorite park or just a lap around the neighborhood for a healthy break.
• Get your rest: Get a full night’s sleep to give your body a chance to recharge for the next day. You probably will have to put in some late nights, which is understandable, just stay away from the all-nighter.
• Have a support system: Reach out to a classmate to set up a time to go over course material for finals. Talk to your family for friends for support during this stressful time.

As a parent, you may be thinking about all those finals, too. Here are a few things you can do to make the end of the semester a bit easier for them:

• Motivate them to study: Encourage your student to try something new like joining a study group connected to a class and blocking time out to study at home.
• Listen: If your student is being too tough on himself/herself, listen and then help by re-focusing their efforts. Sometimes a “you can do it” can go a long way. And don’t forget to mention a few achievements from this semester -- that was like no other!  Suggest that they just need to do their best and that they don’t have to be perfect. Remind them to take a deep breath and as stressful as this time is, they need to relax in order to get the work done.
• Just be there: The semester, and the year, is winding down. They may be excited about finishing up, but sad about leaving friends for the winter break. Do something special for them  – make them a snack and deliver to their room as they study.  

It’s a very busy time of year! Make a plan and gather your study guides for everything you need to be successful. We hope you find these tips and tactics helpful as you strive to survive the end of the semester workload and finals week! Finish strong, Redhawks!

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