Thanksgiving break has come and gone. Although we can all appreciate an entire week of nothing but sleeping late, visiting with family and eating till we can’t possibly eat anymore, Thanksgiving break is also a time to prepare for what lies afterward: finals. 

However, if you are anything like me, you absolutely did not use Thanksgiving break to your advantage and are now starting to feel the pressure of all the essays you have to start and all the tests you have to study for. It can be easy to feel completely overwhelmed, guilty and exhausted. Here are a few tips to help you survive this week.

MAKE A PLAN. I think this is the number one rule that has kept me semi-successful throughout the years. Now is the perfect time to read through all of the syllabi of your classes, mark the dates of the finals on some sort of calendar and work out how much you are going to need to do each day. I usually try to use Mondays as an anchor throughout the week, so that is a good place to put your deadlines. 

Making a plan is also a good strategy if you are super busy because it helps you to remember all the things that you have to do, and, if you are smart about it, you can structure the plan so that you aren’t doing anything in blocks of time that are too large. 

Enjoy your free time. I think the worst part about this time of year is that, even if you manage to find time to watch a movie or play a few games, that free time can be ruined because you feel guilty. You feel as if you should be doing something instead of enjoying yourself. 

While this may be true, you should enjoy your free time to the fullest because you will feel happier and less overwhelmed even with just an hour or so of guilt-free enjoyment. 

Don’t stress! I know this may seem like a bit of a confusing statement, but sometimes we all need a small reminder that getting a C is not going to ruin your whole life, and that you can still be happy without a 4.0 GPA.

Besides, how are you ever meant to be happy if the only thing you ever do is worry about being happy? All you have to do is relax and remember that no matter what happens, everything is going to be fine. 

My final tip is to connect with friends.

There is nothing better than hearing that you and your peers are struggling together. It legitimizes your struggle and it means that both you and your buddy can work together to overcome whatever needs to be done. This action will also help with mental health and make you happier altogether.

I hope that these tips can help those of you who are about to take your first college finals. Good luck!