The DOs and DON'Ts of Finals Week

As we enter into the heart of finals week, I've taken some time to compile a list of things that you should do during finals week, and things that you definitely should avoid. If I have learned anything throughout my four years of college, the bulk of it is definitely what to avoid. With that, lets get started...

DO: Study the weekend before. 

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The best possible option would be to study for the whole week prior to finals week (like dead week was originally designed to be available for), but now that schools have decided to pack the week before with papers and presentations as well... studying the weekend before is the best option. 

DON'T: Study the night before. 

Even though this seems like the best option, staying up the whole night prior to an exam is not good for you. It turns out that sleep is almost, if not as important to your academics than studying. If you don't believe me, check out this study by UCLA. Moreover, cramming the night before can cause a lot of extra stress on your brain. If you do this on a regular basis, it can actually have negative affects on your health! 

Moral of the story, don't cram... and please, please don't pull all nighters. 

DO: Write down the things you are studying with pen and paper.

Two studies from researchers Pam Mueller at Princeton, and David Oppenheimer at UCLA, found that students who write down what they are learning with pen and paper learn more. Thats right! Writing things down helps you have a stronger understanding than when you just read or look on a laptop. 

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So, if you are trying to memorize something, or simply trying to understand something more, pick up a pen and start writing stuff down. It's going to help you in the long run. To add to this, during the whole school year, try to write notes on actual paper, this may even cut down on how much studying you have to do for finals week. Thats a real win, win. 

DON'T: Get hooked on a new tv show the weekend before finals week.

Westworld

Speaking from a more recent experience... and for self explanatory reasons... don't start watching a new series the weekend before finals week (especially if you think you could get hooked). 

My roomate and I just started watching Westworld... 

Whatever you do, wait until Christmas break to start watching this show. Way too addictive.  

DO: Study with friends. 

Studying with friends is a proven way to retain the information more. Verbalizing and engaging in conversation about the topics help improve your retention. To go along with this, having more people around you can help boost your motivation to study, and expand the knowledge available in the room. If you don't know the answer to something, odds are someone in the group study sesh is going to know the answer, and will be able to explain it. Studying with friends is a great way to learn more. 

Don't: Skip studying all-together. 

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While "sending it for the boys" may sound like a good idea at the time, don't do it. At the very least, read through your notes for a little bit before the test. Going into a test blind is just going to be a bummer for the rest of your day, so I recommend avoiding this.

DO: Calculate what you need to get on the test. 

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Even though teachers tell you not to do this, it still can be a huge relief. Hopefully the work you have done all semester has you sit'n pretty, and the percentage you need to get is low. This can help ease some of the stresses of finals week, and any time you can calm you brain, is a good thing. So go ahead, check the grade that you need... but still study your "stress-reduced" butt off. 

I've chosen to have more DOs than DON'Ts for this post for one reason; it's good to have a little positivity in midst of the worst week of the school year. On that note, go kill those tests, and then move on into Christmas break (the best time of the school year). Good luck everyone, and I hope this helps. 

Excellent

Social Media Update

A little while ago I wrote about my Disconnect to Connect attempt. My choice to stop using all social media accounts was a hard one, but one I am finding very effective. With that said, here is a little update for you guys. Here's how the absence of social media is affecting my life:

It seems as though social media was an addiction to me. This is something I am not ashamed to say, as I believe many people go through the same thing. The joy you feel when receiving a like, and the notifications are enough to make a person return to that site time, and time again. Throughout the couple months of not having a social media account, I have seen some differences in my life, and here they are:

1. More time for family and friends 

Time

With the absence of social media, I have found that I am more present. When I am hanging with family or friends, I am no longer taking 15 minute breaks of consciousness to mindlessly scroll through all of my accounts. I no longer am constantly checking my phone for the latest likes on a photo I recently posted. It has allowed me to be somewhere, and really be there.


2. Independence

Along with being more present, I am able to leave my phone when I go and do something. I no longer feel detached when I am not with my phone. The only instances in which I spend a lot of time on my phone is when I am talking to someone, whether that be by text or phone call. These instances are with real people. I am staying connected with people I otherwise wouldn't be, and avoiding the stuff that doesn't matter so much.

Independence

I cannot stress enough the freedom it gives you to be able to leave your phone for long periods of time and not feel anxious. When I do return to my phone, I don't spend hours looking through the news I missed on social media. I am able to be independent of my phone, and thats something to be excited about.


3. More resourceful 

Because social media was my main source of news, I was forced to become more resourceful when it comes to learning about what is going on with the world. New apps are informing me of the news now, and I know things I wouldn't have learned just through social media. Instead of relying on Instagram or Facebook to inform me of world, I have a more broad understanding of news from sites that are meant for news.

In hindsight, I realize how naive I was to only use social media for my only news source. The amount of bias in these posts is astronomical, and the depth of the news was not up to the standard you need it to be. Not having these resources has made me a more educated person, and more resourceful when I needed to learn about something, I have more tools in my toolbox, and for that I am thankful.













4. Less Self-absorbed 

Sadly, I found that social media was making me a more self-absorbed person. How many likes I got on a photo was my only concern. If I didn't get enough I would take the photo down... Now how narcissistic do you need to be for this to be true. I realize this isn't a result of being on social media, and this has more to do with inner problems, but being away from the "Insta game" has done wonders in making me a less narcissistic person. I am no longer driven by likes, and I could care less what other people think about the things I do, and that brings us to the next number.


5. Less worried 
While I was on social media, I was constantly wondering if people would approve of the things I was doing. "If I posted a picture about this, would people like it?" Since dropping all of them, I am less worried about this. I do things because I enjoy them, I take pictures because I think something is cool. I am no longer driven by likes, and instead do things because I want to, or because the people around me want to.

This fact alone has made deleting my accounts worth it. It has allowed me, again, to be more present.


6. More productive 

This is the most self-explanatory, but I urge you to take a day and tally the hours you spend scrolling through your social media accounts. I did this very thing, and what I found was not good.

Not spending so much time on my social media accounts allowed me more time to do things that are actually productive. I was given more time to do homework, and as a result, I could be done with work earlier. From this I could hang with my friends more, go work out, or do literally anything else. The freedom from social media is the freedom of your time. I don't spend so much time on my phone, and this gives me more time to spend in the real world, and thats priceless.

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Again, like I did in the other blog, I urge you to stop letting social media, or your phone take over your life. Find a way to put it down. I hope you come to the same realization that I did, and I hope you feel the same effects that I did, and more. Let me know how your social media sabbatical is going.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Bye-bye