![\"M135~Finish-Each-Day-Ralph-Waldo-Emerson-Posters\"](\"https:\/\/carpecollege.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/M135Finish-Each-Day-Ralph-Waldo-Emerson-Posters.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
OK. There may not be 12 days before your finals begin, but let’s just go with it…<\/h2>\n<\/h2>\nOn the 12th<\/sup> day before finals, my true love gave to me\u2026<\/b><\/h3>\nA Care Package!<\/p>\n
Check in with parents & loved ones to verify that they have ordered, packed & shipped an exceptional care package of cornucopia proportions to get you through the slow slog we call FINALS WEEK (and finals prep)!<\/p>\n
If they haven\u2019t, then make your own<\/a>!<\/p>\n(NOTE:\u00a0 If your cafeteria let\u2019s you take food to go, grab a piece of fruit each and every day to stock up for finals. Rely on those \u201cSuper Snacks\u201d with high-carb\/high-fiber to stay healthy, and having an extra apple, orange or banana at the ready is the smart way to go.)<\/p>\n
You do not, however, have to go this far.<\/a><\/p>\nOn the 11th<\/sup> day before finals, my true love gave to me\u2026<\/b><\/h3>\nThe \u201cHomestretch Email\u201d sent to your professors to ensure you\u2019re on the same page.\u00a0 You both agree on your current grade & agree on your plan for finishing the term strong, including any advice your professor has given you.\u00a0 (Oh look! Here\u2019s a template to help you draft your own \u201cHomestretch Email\u201d\u2026<\/a> How convenient!)<\/p>\nOn the 10th<\/sup> day before finals, my true love gave to me\u2026<\/b><\/h3>\nA list of all your possible study partners & study groups. (What’s a good group? The Marshmallow Challenge<\/a> could offer some idea!)<\/p>\nOh yeah, and the healthy fingers to push the buttons on your little electronic device, which sends the text which actually INVITES them to be in your study group!!\u00a0 (And which plug the all-important study-group sessions into your calendar.)<\/p>\n
On the 9th<\/sup> day before finals, my true love gave to me:<\/b><\/h3>\nA No-Cram Plan.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow does one eat an elephant?\u00a0 One bit at a time.\u201d \u2013 Homer Simpson<\/p>\n
Okay, maybe Homer didn\u2019t come up with that proverb, and he\u2019s not the wise sage you should turn to at this crucial moment in your life.\u00a0 But the idea is sound.<\/p>\n
Make a 2-Week plan for tackling all your finals prep. This includes finishing coursework AND FITTING IN YOUR STUDYING, TOO!\u00a0 You\u2019ll need to break all your remaining work (including your finals studying prep) into little bits that you can work on every day.<\/p>\n
(Oh, so you caught me in a logic trap because I said to do a 2-week plan and this stupid \u201c12 Days of Finals\u201d thing doesn\u2019t account for the 14 days that are in two weeks?!\u00a0 So, the math doesn\u2019t add up. )<\/p>\n
Well, the concept does.\u00a0 Start early.\u00a0 Build a plan that includes prepping for finals every day from NOW through exams by tackling small bits at a time. (And don\u2019t forget to include your study partners!)<\/p>\n
On the 8th<\/sup> day before finals, my true love gave to me:<\/b><\/h3>\nSeven Places to Study.\u00a0 Why seven?!\u00a0 I don\u2019t f***ing know.\u00a0 Make it six or five, but find a handful of spots that are tucked away where you feel comfortable (not your dorm room \u2013 try one of these<\/a>).<\/p>\nEvidence suggests that studying the same material in different environments helps you retain that material better.\u00a0 Different locales, but one constant \u2013 the important stuff you\u2019re studying.\u00a0 It\u2019s kind of like that song, \u201cOne of these things is not like the others\u2026.\u201d <\/a><\/p>\nOh, sorry, did I just plant that tune in your head?\u00a0 I may have just defeated our whole purpose here by giving you that distraction in the midst of trying to prepare for finals.\u00a0 Ugh!\u00a0\u00a0 OKAY, let\u2019s try to forget it.\u00a0 Shake it out of your head.\u00a0 Shoot, now it\u2019s stuck in your mind, and you can\u2019t stop thinking of that tune!\u00a0 Drat!\u00a0 Well, you\u2019ll have to replace it with a different tune.\u00a0 Try \u201cWe Are the Champions\u201d by Queen<\/a>.<\/p>\nYeah, that\u2019s the ticket!\u00a0 It\u2019s uplifting and inspiring.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll hate that song forever more, but you\u2019ll feel like a champ!<\/p>\n
(Now, forget THAT tune until it\u2019s study-break time.)<\/p>\n
On the 7th<\/sup> day before finals, my true love gave to me:<\/b><\/h3>\nPrimal Scream!<\/a><\/p>\nIf your campus doesn\u2019t already do this, it\u2019s time to start.\u00a0 At the end of \u201cReading Week\u201d or whatever you call the week before finals, pick a time (often Friday or Saturday night before Finals begin), gather your dorm mates, and go outside to scream.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s right.\u00a0 Get everyone together out in the cold night air.\u00a0 Have the RAs make you some hot cocoa (and maybe S\u2019mores to make it more festive & fun), and on the count of three everyone screams at the top of their lungs for as long as they can. Then catch your breath and scream again if you need to.\u00a0 Just make it cathartic and cleansing.\u00a0 Release the stress, have a laugh, take a break, and then get back to work.<\/p>\n
Yes, while all those little Who\u2019s down in Whoville are singing angelically around the Christmas tree,<\/a> you all will be screaming like \u2026 well\u2026. college kids trying to de-stress.<\/p>\nOn the 6th<\/sup> day before finals, my true love gave to me:<\/b><\/h3>\nLyric-less music!<\/p>\n
What?!\u00a0 That\u2019s right.\u00a0 Evidence suggests that DISTRACTIONS ARE BAD.\u00a0 Wow!\u00a0 We needed science to tell us that?!\u00a0 And yet we still want to try to study while we\u2019re texting our friends, checking out social media, and listening to our favorite \u201cMacklemore Meets Gaga\u201d playlist, so we can sing along.\u00a0 Well, KNOCK IT OFF!!\u00a0 Shut off all your electronic devices, find a quiet spot, and get to work.<\/p>\n
Or, at least, make an All-Instrumental playlist<\/a>.<\/p>\nOn the 5th<\/sup> day before finals, my true love gave to me:<\/b><\/h3>\nPrimo Practice Tests.<\/p>\n
Whether it\u2019s practice tests from your professors or simple flashcards, TESTING yourself is better than simply \u2018reviewing stuff\u2019.<\/p>\n
I also like to suggest the \u201cBlank White Page\u201d test.\u00a0 If you can take out a blank sheet of paper, list & explain all the macro and micro concepts, and provide examples and illustrations \u2013ALL FROM MEMORY \u2013 then you truly know your material, and you\u2019re ready for your final exam.<\/p>\n
(This is called a RECALL test, like an essay test.\u00a0 Unlike a RECOGNITION test, such as a multiple-choice test, where you\u2019ll know the answer when you see it, a RECALL test challenges you to draw all the information from memory.\u00a0 If you can do this test, you can do any test!)<\/p>\n
On the 4th<\/sup> day before finals, my true love gave to me:<\/b><\/h3>\nSeveral study breaks!<\/p>\n
This \u201cgift\u201d goes with the one before it.\u00a0 By breaking the amount you need to tackle into smaller bits, it affords you more opportunities to take breaks, which you SHOULD do.\u00a0 It keeps you fresh and focused in every way.<\/p>\n
20-40 minute study sessions, followed by a 5-10 minute break should work great.\u00a0 TED Talks are under 20 minutes for a reason<\/a>!\u00a0 If you need to go longer, that\u2019s fine, but take a break each hour.\u00a0 AND\u2026. Listen to your body.\u00a0 It will tell you when it\u2019s time to get your ass up and out of that chair and to start moving around.\u00a0 Listen.\u00a0 Your body knows!<\/p>\nOn the 3rd <\/sup>day before finals, my true love gave to me:<\/b><\/h3>\nA Healthy Heart for a Healthy Head. <\/a><\/p>\nWow, another gift related to the one that precedes it.\u00a0 Remarkable! When you take a study break and walk around, you\u2019re getting your heart going and getting your blood flowing.\u00a0 This is a good thing!<\/p>\n
In fact, evidence suggests that the first hour after exercise is a very productive and heightened time for your mind.\u00a0 So, exercise daily AND during your study breaks.\u00a0 Ain\u2019t nothing wrong with cranking out a few jumping-jacks or push-ups during your study break.\u00a0 Go ahead.\u00a0 Drop and give me twenty right there on the library floor in front of God and everybody!\u00a0 You\u2019ll look like an idiot, and you\u2019ll ace your tests.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s what we call a win-win scenario, my friend.<\/p>\n
On the 2nd<\/sup>\u00a0 (Penultimate) day before finals, my true love gave to me:<\/b><\/h3>\nRest & Review.\u00a0 If you\u2019ve planned well, if you\u2019ve broken your elephant into little bites, if you\u2019ve taken the aforementioned measures to make for QUALITY preparation, then you\u2019re ready.<\/p>\n
All you need now is REST.\u00a0 Good rest.\u00a0 Solid rest.\u00a0 So, go to bed early with some review notes (NOT A LAPTOP OR OTHER SCREEN!), read \u2018em over once while truly thinking about the concepts as you read, and then turn out the lights.\u00a0 You\u2019ll wake up refreshed, retaining material, and ready to take it on again.<\/p>\n
(NOTE:\u00a0 Penultimate is a stupid-ass vocabulary word you should have in your arsenal simply for those few times you may use it in your lifetime \u2013 Look it up!)<\/p>\n
On the LAST day before finals, my true love gave to me:<\/b><\/h3>\n
Confidence & Clarity.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ve got this stuff.\u00a0 You\u2019ve taken care of your body in order to take care of your mind.\u00a0 You ate right & you got some sleep. You planned well, focused on the right stuff, and you studied in a quality fashion, testing yourself and relying on your study partners to help you \u2018play\u2019 with the material.<\/p>\n
So\u2026 you\u2019re ready.\u00a0 Be confident.\u00a0 Take a deep breath, so you can relax and focus.\u00a0 Then go get \u2018em\u2026.<\/p>\n
And breakfast.\u00a0 OMG, I assume you\u2019ve been eating breakfast all along, right?!\u00a0 Most important f***ing meal of the day.\u00a0 Get with it, will ya!\u00a0 (How\u2019s that for a Pre-Finals Pep Talk?!\u00a0 Very loving & Caring\u2026.\u00a0 Tough love, I guess.)<\/p>\n
NOW GO GET \u2018EM!!!<\/p>\n
Okay, one more pep-talk! (Actually a pep-talk montage)<\/a><\/p>\nOh wait!\u00a0 This one\u2019s even better! (\u201cLet\u2019s go get our damn trophy!\u201d)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" OK. There may not be 12 days before your finals begin, but let’s just go with it… On the 12th day before finals, my true love gave to me\u2026 A Care Package! Check in with parents & loved ones to verify that they have ordered, packed & shipped an exceptional care package of cornucopia proportions to get you … Continue Reading
On the 12th<\/sup> day before finals, my true love gave to me\u2026<\/b><\/h3>\nA Care Package!<\/p>\n
Check in with parents & loved ones to verify that they have ordered, packed & shipped an exceptional care package of cornucopia proportions to get you through the slow slog we call FINALS WEEK (and finals prep)!<\/p>\n
If they haven\u2019t, then make your own<\/a>!<\/p>\n(NOTE:\u00a0 If your cafeteria let\u2019s you take food to go, grab a piece of fruit each and every day to stock up for finals. Rely on those \u201cSuper Snacks\u201d with high-carb\/high-fiber to stay healthy, and having an extra apple, orange or banana at the ready is the smart way to go.)<\/p>\n
You do not, however, have to go this far.<\/a><\/p>\nOn the 11th<\/sup> day before finals, my true love gave to me\u2026<\/b><\/h3>\nThe \u201cHomestretch Email\u201d sent to your professors to ensure you\u2019re on the same page.\u00a0 You both agree on your current grade & agree on your plan for finishing the term strong, including any advice your professor has given you.\u00a0 (Oh look! Here\u2019s a template to help you draft your own \u201cHomestretch Email\u201d\u2026<\/a> How convenient!)<\/p>\nOn the 10th<\/sup> day before finals, my true love gave to me\u2026<\/b><\/h3>\nA list of all your possible study partners & study groups. (What’s a good group? The Marshmallow Challenge<\/a> could offer some idea!)<\/p>\nOh yeah, and the healthy fingers to push the buttons on your little electronic device, which sends the text which actually INVITES them to be in your study group!!\u00a0 (And which plug the all-important study-group sessions into your calendar.)<\/p>\n
On the 9th<\/sup> day before finals, my true love gave to me:<\/b><\/h3>\nA No-Cram Plan.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow does one eat an elephant?\u00a0 One bit at a time.\u201d \u2013 Homer Simpson<\/p>\n
Okay, maybe Homer didn\u2019t come up with that proverb, and he\u2019s not the wise sage you should turn to at this crucial moment in your life.\u00a0 But the idea is sound.<\/p>\n
Make a 2-Week plan for tackling all your finals prep. This includes finishing coursework AND FITTING IN YOUR STUDYING, TOO!\u00a0 You\u2019ll need to break all your remaining work (including your finals studying prep) into little bits that you can work on every day.<\/p>\n
(Oh, so you caught me in a logic trap because I said to do a 2-week plan and this stupid \u201c12 Days of Finals\u201d thing doesn\u2019t account for the 14 days that are in two weeks?!\u00a0 So, the math doesn\u2019t add up. )<\/p>\n
Well, the concept does.\u00a0 Start early.\u00a0 Build a plan that includes prepping for finals every day from NOW through exams by tackling small bits at a time. (And don\u2019t forget to include your study partners!)<\/p>\n
On the 8th<\/sup> day before finals, my true love gave to me:<\/b><\/h3>\nSeven Places to Study.\u00a0 Why seven?!\u00a0 I don\u2019t f***ing know.\u00a0 Make it six or five, but find a handful of spots that are tucked away where you feel comfortable (not your dorm room \u2013 try one of these<\/a>).<\/p>\nEvidence suggests that studying the same material in different environments helps you retain that material better.\u00a0 Different locales, but one constant \u2013 the important stuff you\u2019re studying.\u00a0 It\u2019s kind of like that song, \u201cOne of these things is not like the others\u2026.\u201d <\/a><\/p>\nOh, sorry, did I just plant that tune in your head?\u00a0 I may have just defeated our whole purpose here by giving you that distraction in the midst of trying to prepare for finals.\u00a0 Ugh!\u00a0\u00a0 OKAY, let\u2019s try to forget it.\u00a0 Shake it out of your head.\u00a0 Shoot, now it\u2019s stuck in your mind, and you can\u2019t stop thinking of that tune!\u00a0 Drat!\u00a0 Well, you\u2019ll have to replace it with a different tune.\u00a0 Try \u201cWe Are the Champions\u201d by Queen<\/a>.<\/p>\nYeah, that\u2019s the ticket!\u00a0 It\u2019s uplifting and inspiring.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll hate that song forever more, but you\u2019ll feel like a champ!<\/p>\n
(Now, forget THAT tune until it\u2019s study-break time.)<\/p>\n
On the 7th<\/sup> day before finals, my true love gave to me:<\/b><\/h3>\nPrimal Scream!<\/a><\/p>\nIf your campus doesn\u2019t already do this, it\u2019s time to start.\u00a0 At the end of \u201cReading Week\u201d or whatever you call the week before finals, pick a time (often Friday or Saturday night before Finals begin), gather your dorm mates, and go outside to scream.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s right.\u00a0 Get everyone together out in the cold night air.\u00a0 Have the RAs make you some hot cocoa (and maybe S\u2019mores to make it more festive & fun), and on the count of three everyone screams at the top of their lungs for as long as they can. Then catch your breath and scream again if you need to.\u00a0 Just make it cathartic and cleansing.\u00a0 Release the stress, have a laugh, take a break, and then get back to work.<\/p>\n
Yes, while all those little Who\u2019s down in Whoville are singing angelically around the Christmas tree,<\/a> you all will be screaming like \u2026 well\u2026. college kids trying to de-stress.<\/p>\nOn the 6th<\/sup> day before finals, my true love gave to me:<\/b><\/h3>\nLyric-less music!<\/p>\n
What?!\u00a0 That\u2019s right.\u00a0 Evidence suggests that DISTRACTIONS ARE BAD.\u00a0 Wow!\u00a0 We needed science to tell us that?!\u00a0 And yet we still want to try to study while we\u2019re texting our friends, checking out social media, and listening to our favorite \u201cMacklemore Meets Gaga\u201d playlist, so we can sing along.\u00a0 Well, KNOCK IT OFF!!\u00a0 Shut off all your electronic devices, find a quiet spot, and get to work.<\/p>\n
Or, at least, make an All-Instrumental playlist<\/a>.<\/p>\nOn the 5th<\/sup> day before finals, my true love gave to me:<\/b><\/h3>\nPrimo Practice Tests.<\/p>\n
Whether it\u2019s practice tests from your professors or simple flashcards, TESTING yourself is better than simply \u2018reviewing stuff\u2019.<\/p>\n
I also like to suggest the \u201cBlank White Page\u201d test.\u00a0 If you can take out a blank sheet of paper, list & explain all the macro and micro concepts, and provide examples and illustrations \u2013ALL FROM MEMORY \u2013 then you truly know your material, and you\u2019re ready for your final exam.<\/p>\n
(This is called a RECALL test, like an essay test.\u00a0 Unlike a RECOGNITION test, such as a multiple-choice test, where you\u2019ll know the answer when you see it, a RECALL test challenges you to draw all the information from memory.\u00a0 If you can do this test, you can do any test!)<\/p>\n
On the 4th<\/sup> day before finals, my true love gave to me:<\/b><\/h3>\nSeveral study breaks!<\/p>\n
This \u201cgift\u201d goes with the one before it.\u00a0 By breaking the amount you need to tackle into smaller bits, it affords you more opportunities to take breaks, which you SHOULD do.\u00a0 It keeps you fresh and focused in every way.<\/p>\n
20-40 minute study sessions, followed by a 5-10 minute break should work great.\u00a0 TED Talks are under 20 minutes for a reason<\/a>!\u00a0 If you need to go longer, that\u2019s fine, but take a break each hour.\u00a0 AND\u2026. Listen to your body.\u00a0 It will tell you when it\u2019s time to get your ass up and out of that chair and to start moving around.\u00a0 Listen.\u00a0 Your body knows!<\/p>\nOn the 3rd <\/sup>day before finals, my true love gave to me:<\/b><\/h3>\nA Healthy Heart for a Healthy Head. <\/a><\/p>\nWow, another gift related to the one that precedes it.\u00a0 Remarkable! When you take a study break and walk around, you\u2019re getting your heart going and getting your blood flowing.\u00a0 This is a good thing!<\/p>\n
In fact, evidence suggests that the first hour after exercise is a very productive and heightened time for your mind.\u00a0 So, exercise daily AND during your study breaks.\u00a0 Ain\u2019t nothing wrong with cranking out a few jumping-jacks or push-ups during your study break.\u00a0 Go ahead.\u00a0 Drop and give me twenty right there on the library floor in front of God and everybody!\u00a0 You\u2019ll look like an idiot, and you\u2019ll ace your tests.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s what we call a win-win scenario, my friend.<\/p>\n
On the 2nd<\/sup>\u00a0 (Penultimate) day before finals, my true love gave to me:<\/b><\/h3>\nRest & Review.\u00a0 If you\u2019ve planned well, if you\u2019ve broken your elephant into little bites, if you\u2019ve taken the aforementioned measures to make for QUALITY preparation, then you\u2019re ready.<\/p>\n
All you need now is REST.\u00a0 Good rest.\u00a0 Solid rest.\u00a0 So, go to bed early with some review notes (NOT A LAPTOP OR OTHER SCREEN!), read \u2018em over once while truly thinking about the concepts as you read, and then turn out the lights.\u00a0 You\u2019ll wake up refreshed, retaining material, and ready to take it on again.<\/p>\n
(NOTE:\u00a0 Penultimate is a stupid-ass vocabulary word you should have in your arsenal simply for those few times you may use it in your lifetime \u2013 Look it up!)<\/p>\n
On the LAST day before finals, my true love gave to me:<\/b><\/h3>\n
Confidence & Clarity.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ve got this stuff.\u00a0 You\u2019ve taken care of your body in order to take care of your mind.\u00a0 You ate right & you got some sleep. You planned well, focused on the right stuff, and you studied in a quality fashion, testing yourself and relying on your study partners to help you \u2018play\u2019 with the material.<\/p>\n
So\u2026 you\u2019re ready.\u00a0 Be confident.\u00a0 Take a deep breath, so you can relax and focus.\u00a0 Then go get \u2018em\u2026.<\/p>\n
And breakfast.\u00a0 OMG, I assume you\u2019ve been eating breakfast all along, right?!\u00a0 Most important f***ing meal of the day.\u00a0 Get with it, will ya!\u00a0 (How\u2019s that for a Pre-Finals Pep Talk?!\u00a0 Very loving & Caring\u2026.\u00a0 Tough love, I guess.)<\/p>\n
NOW GO GET \u2018EM!!!<\/p>\n
Okay, one more pep-talk! (Actually a pep-talk montage)<\/a><\/p>\nOh wait!\u00a0 This one\u2019s even better! (\u201cLet\u2019s go get our damn trophy!\u201d)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" OK. There may not be 12 days before your finals begin, but let’s just go with it… On the 12th day before finals, my true love gave to me\u2026 A Care Package! Check in with parents & loved ones to verify that they have ordered, packed & shipped an exceptional care package of cornucopia proportions to get you … Continue Reading
(NOTE:\u00a0 If your cafeteria let\u2019s you take food to go, grab a piece of fruit each and every day to stock up for finals. Rely on those \u201cSuper Snacks\u201d with high-carb\/high-fiber to stay healthy, and having an extra apple, orange or banana at the ready is the smart way to go.)<\/p>\n
You do not, however, have to go this far.<\/a><\/p>\n The \u201cHomestretch Email\u201d sent to your professors to ensure you\u2019re on the same page.\u00a0 You both agree on your current grade & agree on your plan for finishing the term strong, including any advice your professor has given you.\u00a0 (Oh look! Here\u2019s a template to help you draft your own \u201cHomestretch Email\u201d\u2026<\/a> How convenient!)<\/p>\n A list of all your possible study partners & study groups. (What’s a good group? The Marshmallow Challenge<\/a> could offer some idea!)<\/p>\n Oh yeah, and the healthy fingers to push the buttons on your little electronic device, which sends the text which actually INVITES them to be in your study group!!\u00a0 (And which plug the all-important study-group sessions into your calendar.)<\/p>\n A No-Cram Plan.<\/p>\n \u201cHow does one eat an elephant?\u00a0 One bit at a time.\u201d \u2013 Homer Simpson<\/p>\n Okay, maybe Homer didn\u2019t come up with that proverb, and he\u2019s not the wise sage you should turn to at this crucial moment in your life.\u00a0 But the idea is sound.<\/p>\n Make a 2-Week plan for tackling all your finals prep. This includes finishing coursework AND FITTING IN YOUR STUDYING, TOO!\u00a0 You\u2019ll need to break all your remaining work (including your finals studying prep) into little bits that you can work on every day.<\/p>\n (Oh, so you caught me in a logic trap because I said to do a 2-week plan and this stupid \u201c12 Days of Finals\u201d thing doesn\u2019t account for the 14 days that are in two weeks?!\u00a0 So, the math doesn\u2019t add up. )<\/p>\n Well, the concept does.\u00a0 Start early.\u00a0 Build a plan that includes prepping for finals every day from NOW through exams by tackling small bits at a time. (And don\u2019t forget to include your study partners!)<\/p>\n Seven Places to Study.\u00a0 Why seven?!\u00a0 I don\u2019t f***ing know.\u00a0 Make it six or five, but find a handful of spots that are tucked away where you feel comfortable (not your dorm room \u2013 try one of these<\/a>).<\/p>\n Evidence suggests that studying the same material in different environments helps you retain that material better.\u00a0 Different locales, but one constant \u2013 the important stuff you\u2019re studying.\u00a0 It\u2019s kind of like that song, \u201cOne of these things is not like the others\u2026.\u201d <\/a><\/p>\n Oh, sorry, did I just plant that tune in your head?\u00a0 I may have just defeated our whole purpose here by giving you that distraction in the midst of trying to prepare for finals.\u00a0 Ugh!\u00a0\u00a0 OKAY, let\u2019s try to forget it.\u00a0 Shake it out of your head.\u00a0 Shoot, now it\u2019s stuck in your mind, and you can\u2019t stop thinking of that tune!\u00a0 Drat!\u00a0 Well, you\u2019ll have to replace it with a different tune.\u00a0 Try \u201cWe Are the Champions\u201d by Queen<\/a>.<\/p>\n Yeah, that\u2019s the ticket!\u00a0 It\u2019s uplifting and inspiring.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll hate that song forever more, but you\u2019ll feel like a champ!<\/p>\n (Now, forget THAT tune until it\u2019s study-break time.)<\/p>\n Primal Scream!<\/a><\/p>\n If your campus doesn\u2019t already do this, it\u2019s time to start.\u00a0 At the end of \u201cReading Week\u201d or whatever you call the week before finals, pick a time (often Friday or Saturday night before Finals begin), gather your dorm mates, and go outside to scream.<\/p>\n That\u2019s right.\u00a0 Get everyone together out in the cold night air.\u00a0 Have the RAs make you some hot cocoa (and maybe S\u2019mores to make it more festive & fun), and on the count of three everyone screams at the top of their lungs for as long as they can. Then catch your breath and scream again if you need to.\u00a0 Just make it cathartic and cleansing.\u00a0 Release the stress, have a laugh, take a break, and then get back to work.<\/p>\n Yes, while all those little Who\u2019s down in Whoville are singing angelically around the Christmas tree,<\/a> you all will be screaming like \u2026 well\u2026. college kids trying to de-stress.<\/p>\n Lyric-less music!<\/p>\n What?!\u00a0 That\u2019s right.\u00a0 Evidence suggests that DISTRACTIONS ARE BAD.\u00a0 Wow!\u00a0 We needed science to tell us that?!\u00a0 And yet we still want to try to study while we\u2019re texting our friends, checking out social media, and listening to our favorite \u201cMacklemore Meets Gaga\u201d playlist, so we can sing along.\u00a0 Well, KNOCK IT OFF!!\u00a0 Shut off all your electronic devices, find a quiet spot, and get to work.<\/p>\n Or, at least, make an All-Instrumental playlist<\/a>.<\/p>\n Primo Practice Tests.<\/p>\n Whether it\u2019s practice tests from your professors or simple flashcards, TESTING yourself is better than simply \u2018reviewing stuff\u2019.<\/p>\n I also like to suggest the \u201cBlank White Page\u201d test.\u00a0 If you can take out a blank sheet of paper, list & explain all the macro and micro concepts, and provide examples and illustrations \u2013ALL FROM MEMORY \u2013 then you truly know your material, and you\u2019re ready for your final exam.<\/p>\n (This is called a RECALL test, like an essay test.\u00a0 Unlike a RECOGNITION test, such as a multiple-choice test, where you\u2019ll know the answer when you see it, a RECALL test challenges you to draw all the information from memory.\u00a0 If you can do this test, you can do any test!)<\/p>\n Several study breaks!<\/p>\n This \u201cgift\u201d goes with the one before it.\u00a0 By breaking the amount you need to tackle into smaller bits, it affords you more opportunities to take breaks, which you SHOULD do.\u00a0 It keeps you fresh and focused in every way.<\/p>\n 20-40 minute study sessions, followed by a 5-10 minute break should work great.\u00a0 TED Talks are under 20 minutes for a reason<\/a>!\u00a0 If you need to go longer, that\u2019s fine, but take a break each hour.\u00a0 AND\u2026. Listen to your body.\u00a0 It will tell you when it\u2019s time to get your ass up and out of that chair and to start moving around.\u00a0 Listen.\u00a0 Your body knows!<\/p>\n A Healthy Heart for a Healthy Head. <\/a><\/p>\n Wow, another gift related to the one that precedes it.\u00a0 Remarkable! When you take a study break and walk around, you\u2019re getting your heart going and getting your blood flowing.\u00a0 This is a good thing!<\/p>\n In fact, evidence suggests that the first hour after exercise is a very productive and heightened time for your mind.\u00a0 So, exercise daily AND during your study breaks.\u00a0 Ain\u2019t nothing wrong with cranking out a few jumping-jacks or push-ups during your study break.\u00a0 Go ahead.\u00a0 Drop and give me twenty right there on the library floor in front of God and everybody!\u00a0 You\u2019ll look like an idiot, and you\u2019ll ace your tests.<\/p>\n That\u2019s what we call a win-win scenario, my friend.<\/p>\n Rest & Review.\u00a0 If you\u2019ve planned well, if you\u2019ve broken your elephant into little bites, if you\u2019ve taken the aforementioned measures to make for QUALITY preparation, then you\u2019re ready.<\/p>\n All you need now is REST.\u00a0 Good rest.\u00a0 Solid rest.\u00a0 So, go to bed early with some review notes (NOT A LAPTOP OR OTHER SCREEN!), read \u2018em over once while truly thinking about the concepts as you read, and then turn out the lights.\u00a0 You\u2019ll wake up refreshed, retaining material, and ready to take it on again.<\/p>\n (NOTE:\u00a0 Penultimate is a stupid-ass vocabulary word you should have in your arsenal simply for those few times you may use it in your lifetime \u2013 Look it up!)<\/p>\n Confidence & Clarity.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve got this stuff.\u00a0 You\u2019ve taken care of your body in order to take care of your mind.\u00a0 You ate right & you got some sleep. You planned well, focused on the right stuff, and you studied in a quality fashion, testing yourself and relying on your study partners to help you \u2018play\u2019 with the material.<\/p>\n So\u2026 you\u2019re ready.\u00a0 Be confident.\u00a0 Take a deep breath, so you can relax and focus.\u00a0 Then go get \u2018em\u2026.<\/p>\n And breakfast.\u00a0 OMG, I assume you\u2019ve been eating breakfast all along, right?!\u00a0 Most important f***ing meal of the day.\u00a0 Get with it, will ya!\u00a0 (How\u2019s that for a Pre-Finals Pep Talk?!\u00a0 Very loving & Caring\u2026.\u00a0 Tough love, I guess.)<\/p>\n NOW GO GET \u2018EM!!!<\/p>\n Okay, one more pep-talk! (Actually a pep-talk montage)<\/a><\/p>\n Oh wait!\u00a0 This one\u2019s even better! (\u201cLet\u2019s go get our damn trophy!\u201d)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" OK. There may not be 12 days before your finals begin, but let’s just go with it… On the 12th day before finals, my true love gave to me\u2026 A Care Package! Check in with parents & loved ones to verify that they have ordered, packed & shipped an exceptional care package of cornucopia proportions to get you … Continue Reading On the 11th<\/sup> day before finals, my true love gave to me\u2026<\/b><\/h3>\n
On the 10th<\/sup> day before finals, my true love gave to me\u2026<\/b><\/h3>\n
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On the 2nd<\/sup>\u00a0 (Penultimate) day before finals, my true love gave to me:<\/b><\/h3>\n
On the LAST day before finals, my true love gave to me:<\/b><\/h3>\n