How to survive finals week at Virginia Tech

The days were long yet the weeks felt short leading up to this point. Where has the semester gone? It’s finals week already! They say time flies when you are having fun, but this semester has been the fastest one thus far.

So it is time. Time to actually dust off those text books and attend that last class to figure out what is on this so-called exam next week. It has been a long year, and summer sounded so distant, but it has arrived and here are some tips that may make finals week a bit easier.

Remember, you are in it for the long haul.

Your GPA only fluctuates twice a year – you must make a positive change to it because negative ones are hard to fix over the course of time. Be sure to be prepared for the last exam because GPAs do matter, and you don’t want to miss a 2.0 by .1 because that would be academic probation, my friends.

Parties come and go, as do final exams

We all know those majors who don’t have any finals, but celebrate finals week.  Be sure to time things just right so you can partake in some of the fun, but have your priorities in check. Maybe begin studying a few days before so you don’t have to spend all night cramming like most students.

Exams don’t define you, but they do according to the university

We all aren’t the best test-takers. It’s true. Unfortunately, they do help rank students at the university. If exams aren’t your thing and you didn’t realize that you have been tanking or not doing as well as you wanted to this semester, maybe try to find extracurricular clubs to join outside of class. Sometimes, you learn more in there than you do in a lecture, and that can overshadow your GPA and build a better resume.

Even though you have heard it before: study!

Sometimes we think that we know it well enough for the exam, and then we get there and blank. You are never too far above to read over your notes once or twice. If you do know it well enough, maybe link off with a classmate who doesn’t. That way, you are both learning, and you reiterate everything that you have done this semester to prepare for this time.

Take breaks

Many of us tend to cram too much and then we forget everything when we get to the exam. Be sure to take a breather when studying gets too stressful. We know how much we can take in at a time, and your body begins to tell you when enough is enough! If you are reading over the same sentence or stuck on an equation for hours on end, maybe a little fresh air will do some good. Enjoy the beautiful weather while we have it and take a stroll through campus. It helps.

All the best to everyone preparing for this one treacherous week of the semester. Just like the rest of the semester, it will be over before you know it.