Because finals week is the worst.

So finals week is quickly approaching, and that means we are basically all dying inside. You might have 3 different video projects, which then I relate with you, and I fear that I am going to mistakenly put the wrong video in the wrong project. Confusing, I know. I am confused. It can be hard to get motivated.

Or maybe you are stressed about your 4 exams for your pre-med major, or maybe accounting is biting you in the butt. Either way, these must-do’s can take the energy out of us. We can feel so drained to the point where it’s hard to even start the first sentence of an essay or fill out the first notecard.

But friends, there is hope. You will not be drowning forever. In fact, if you just keep swimming, you’ll reach land. So take it from Doris.

But how do we keep moving? Our arms and legs are getting tired, and we need a little life support. So if you want to minimize the amount of mental breakdowns you experience during this week, take the tips from below.

1. Sleep

You might want to stay up all night before that exam, but that is not the best idea. I swear to you. Sleep will help you feel better in the long run, so make sure you are making it a priority. You are not immune to feeling crabby and unfocused due to a lack of discipline.

Instead of driving yourself crazy the night before an exam, I would suggest to start studying as soon as you can. The more days you study a little, the better you will actually do on the exam. Even though this is hard to do, and it’s important but not urgent, you will thank yourself when you get back the test results.

2. Spend time with people

This one is hard for most to grasp. But if you lock yourself in a room for hours on end, or spend all day at a depressing library, you yourself will start to feel depressed. It’s sad to just spend days without any human contact, and the only friend you have is your planner. You need support, because life is hard. And chances are the people close to you are going through the same thing. When you need a study break, spend time with people you love, or even spend time studying together. You won’t make it out of this week alone.

3. Give yourself grace

Listen, girl, it’s okay if you fail. Let me repeat myself. It’s okay if you fail. Are you going to die? No. Will you still be loved? Yes. Your worth is so much more than the score you get on a test.

And I have to tell myself this too. Sometimes I trick myself into believing that my future is actually all in my control, and that belief makes me act like a crazy person during weeks like this. I feel that if I don’t take control and do it exactly right, then nothing will go well. But that’s just me not trusting that God is gonna pull through.

No matter how well you do, you are still enough. And that doesn’t mean not trying at all, but it means that if you give it all you got and you still get that scary letter grade, the world isn’t going to end. You are going to be okay and God is still going to use you for the good.

4. Exercise

I have been so stressed lately that I have physically had to force myself to move my legs to the gym. No part of me wants to go, but I know my body needs it. And it actually will help me feel less stressed, so it’s worth it in the end. I have found that one of the best ways to stay mentally stable in tough times is to workout. To prioritize that part of your life, because no one else will take care of your physical health for you.

Also, apparently if you study and then work out right after, that actually will help you memorize the information more. Yet another reason to put on your tennis shoes.

5. For God sake’s, get yourself a Venti

Yes, a Venti from Starbucks. That big friggin drink that has maybe way too much liquid and caffeine in it, but I think you kind of need it. Coffee will probably be one of your closest friends this week, because there’s not much that you can’t accomplish when you have a Venti coffee on your side.

Also, the Starbs barista blessed me the other day. She suggested I get the strawberry acai refresher with peach tea and lemonade. It changed my life (side note, if you’re looking for a new drink at the best place on earth).

5. Give your planner some love

You may be someone who “goes with the flow”, and let me tell you that I find that incredibly admirable. I wish I were you. But unfortunately, I’m not. And I live in a world of order all the time, maybe even to a fault.

But when finals week is quickly approaching, that’s when I am very happy to be prone to organization. It’s hard to keep up with all of the projects and groups and exams when you don’t have a pen and paper and schedule for when you’re gonna get it all done. You may not use a planner all year, but this is the one week that I would highly recommend dusting off your planner and putting it to use.

Another thing that could be helpful is time blocking. This is where you only give yourself a strict amount of time to do something, and it actually works wonders. It limits procrastination and really keeps you focused.

So this week is definitely brutal, I’m not going to lie. But just know that you are going to survive, and there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Believe it or not, you can do this.

Happy studying!