How to actually stay sane during finals week at CU
Drink to celebrate/drink to forget
The second wave of the holidays are right around the corner, as are the week-long study binge most students *should* be participating in for finals week. While this week isn’t something to necessarily look forward to, there are some ways to not overdue your date with the library and have fun while succeeding.
Plan ahead
While planning is super helpful for staying organized and knowing what to study on finals, planning on your plans after the study binge can also give you the motivation to power through. Give yourself a good chunk of time to cry, space out and study in the library, but also make some plans with friends to let loose after a strenuous review day.
Attend happy hour
Since mornings are always the best time to get studying done, attending happy hour on the Hill is an absolute must to commemorate the one notecard you actually managed to memorize. Every day from 3 to 8pm, Illegal Pete’s offers a happy hour to help you forget for a few hours that you have four tests that count for a quarter of your grade.
Set daily goals/give yourself something to look forward to
These goals could be as simple as, “Don’t take two hour breaks” or “Actually study today,” but as long as they are completed, that gives leeway to celebrate. Celebrating can come in the form of eating, drinking, sleeping or all three.
Don’t stress the calories
Stress = weight gain. Sure, going to the gym is supposed to help with anxiety and release stress, but who actually has time for that? Allow for small indulgences on the usuals, such as Illegal Pete’s and late night Boss Lady. Supposedly Illegal Pete’s guacamole helps you concentrate better. Just kidding, but it probably will relieve some stress.
Go to the third floor of Norlin
In order to get as much work and studying done as possible in order to leave room for a social life, heading to the quietest part of the library will prevent the most distractions from happening. Though it is nice to have a chat with the girl who lives two doors down from you about the water pressure in the second shower, the studying is not going to learn by itself.
Decide if it is actually worth it to go out
The day has come and it is finally the weekend or your one night off to let loose. Sure, there is an annex party on 13th Street and Norlin Library has been your only source of company for the past week and a half, but a good night’s sleep does sound pretty nice…
Set alarms (MULTIPLE)
You promise yourself to be the first one in the library, and to get a Venti iced coffee before the sun rises. You are allowed two snoozes until it is actually time to rise, but this also includes setting at least five alarms, all 10 minutes apart to make sure you ACTUALLY rise.
Good grades > Going out
Hate to say it, but getting the A is better than the party. The nights spent in the library might not be as memorable as a good night out with your friends, but having the confidence to apply to the engineering school after one good exam grade will last longer than you think.
Sure, Norlin is not every CU student’s consideration of a fun time, but spending a full week there does not always have the best outcome. Take some breaks (but not a full week long break).