Some tips to making it through finals breathing

Something deadly is making its way to California State University, Stanislaus, and no, it's not Bubonic plague. This coming onslaught is much worse—it's final exams. Here are some tips that will help you survive finals week.

First, you should realize that while there are people in this world that can miraculously do well on a final without studying, these people are few and far between, which means you are probably not one of them. That being said, you will have to embrace the fact that studying is a must. 

The next step to effective studying is to prioritize. Avoid going out to lunch, hanging out with your friends, and logging into Facebook. Dodge your parents because they will either a) want you to run an errand for them or b) clean something. If you run into that one friend who loves to talk to you for really long periods of time about their exciting life, run in the opposite direction. By and large, during the few weeks before finals, you probably shouldn't have a social life at all. 

After you find time in your hectic life to study, gather all notes, power points, handouts, and study guides your teachers have given you throughout the semester. Split up the material evenly so that you can study a little bit of it every day. Make flashcards for terms that you have to remember, and test yourself with them. If your teachers are so generous as to put together practice tests, use them. If you are an auditory learner, record yourself reading your notes, and then listen to the recordings. This recording method can useful for those of you students who commute; while driving, you can listen to the recordings. 

Divide your studying time into small chunks as opposed to lengthy periods of time. Instead of studying for an hour straight, split the time into three sets of twenty minutes with five minute breaks in between. This will help you retain information better. During the five minutes breaks, eat some fruits and vegetables or go for a short walk. Exercise and healthy foods will stimulate your brain and help your memory. 

Once you have mastered most of your studying, get together with a group of people from class and review the material with them. 

After completing all these steps, you should be all set to pass your finals with flying colors. Remember to get plenty of rest the night before, and double-check what times all your finals are at. Good luck, fellow students.