How to Avoid Burnout During Finals Week

Finals season is a sort of “last hurrah” in the semester, particularly the spring semester, when students are preparing to pack up their dorm rooms and head home for the summer. The few weeks leading up to summer vacation can be an exciting time. Whether you are looking forward to returning to a previous part-time job, starting a new internship or going on a fun family vacation, the anticipation of just getting to the break can be hard to bear.  

Plus, as you finish up classes for the semester, making sure that your grades are where you want them to be can add extra stress to the already-stressful finals season. With that, it’s easy to “burn out” during the last days of the spring semester – so here are some tips to keep yourself going and finish out strong. 

Make a study plan and stick to it 

Studying can be boring and burnout-inducing, especially when you don’t have a clear plan in mind when you begin. Formulating an appropriate study plan – some ideas can be found here -- can make all the difference between despising your study sessions and feeling a true sense of accomplishment when they’re done. Planning how you’re going to study for a particular course before you begin can make the process easier once finals season is in full swing.  

Make sure to take care of yourself 

It’s hard to focus on studying, reading or taking tests when you’re not giving your brain and body the rest they need. Even when times get tough, don’t forget to shower, sleep, eat and drink water. A happy body will be better at getting you through finals season than an under-nourished or inadequately rested one.  

Take productive breaks 

Study breaks are great, as long as you’re not staying in the same chair, taking out your phone and mindlessly scrolling through social media for the next ten minutes (or fifteen...or three hours). Productive study breaks consist of getting up and doing something to make a more significant change in your environment. Some ideas include taking a walk, grabbing a snack or a drink, doodling or even doing some jumping jacks. These types of breaks allow you to come back and face your remaining work with, hopefully, a clear and refreshed mind.  

Treat yourself 

At the end of the semester, it’s especially okay to reward yourself for all the hard work you’ve put in – but make sure that it doesn’t become an everyday habit or a distractor! Taking a quick trip to Dairy Queen after a difficult test or buying a new pair of shorts at Walmart, for example, can be great ways to have a little fun amidst the academic rigor of finals season. Just make sure that “treating yourself” doesn’t become a more frequent occurrence than sitting down and studying or doing homework with occasional “productive breaks!”  

Remember how far you’ve come 

During the last few weeks of any semester, it’s easy to look at the amount of work you still have to do and see a difficult mountain to climb. In this case, however, it’s okay to look back into the past a little bit and consider how much work you’ve already put in over the course of the semester. The previous fourteen or fifteen weeks of the academic semester is nothing to brush off; instead, it’s a way to remind yourself how much of the mountain you’ve already climbed. If finals week seems insurmountable, remind yourself how much God’s already brought you through. If He’s been by your side through the first fifteen weeks of the semester, why wouldn’t He remain there for the last week?  

Although finals season may not be any college student’s favorite time of year, it reflects how much they’ve accomplished since starting school in August or returning for the second semester in January. Despite the struggles that are bound to be associated with taking final tests, finishing up projects, and moving out of the dorms for the summer, it doesn’t take much to avoid “burning out” during this time. Consider how you can take action to motivate yourself and stay engaged throughout this finals season.  

As the end of this academic year approaches, consider attending Concordia Nebraska this coming fall! Schedule a visit here.