10 tips for FINALS: Friends, initiative, nutrition, activities, laughter, studying

With finals right around the corner, we spoke to several professors on campus to see what they recommend to studentsto do better during finals. The director of dietetics, Cindy Swann, recommended several articles that spoke about good study habits along with others found online. The Point simplified it. Here are the top ten things to follow this Finals season if you want to keep that GPA.

1. Make sure your room is packed with healthy snacks: nuts, cheese sticks, cottage cheese, milk, protein bars and more (recommended from UCSC’s Eating Strategies for Exam Time).
2. Watch caffeine and energy drinks. Caffeine and energy drinks wear off and make you more dehydrated
   (recommended from University of Toronto’s Nutrition Tips to Help Maximize Your Studying).
3. Stay hydrated. Drink lots of water or tea. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty. Water also gives you energy
   (recommended from the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute’s Eating Well During Exam Time).
4. Eat breakfast. It keeps your blood sugar level stable and energy up, and it’s the most important meal
   (recommended from University of Maryland’s 6 Nutrition Tips for More Productive Studying).
5. Take study breaks. Talk with friends, listen to music and let your mind unwind
   (recommended from Stockholm University’s 7 Best Ways to Take a Break from Studying).
6. Exercise. Do yoga, go running, get your heart beat up and endorphins raised (recommended from UK Government Exercise and Study).
7. Eliminate distractions. When studying, stay focused and stay off social media like Twitter and Facebook. Avoid rooms where there are many distractions, even roommates (recommended from Education Corner’s 10 Habits of High Effective Students).
8. Study in groups. Groups can provide information you may not have, and should be used in addition to studying alone
   (recommended from Education Corner’s 10 Habits of High Effective Students).
9. Use your resources. Meet with a professor, look into tutoring, turn to classmates who have passed the class and look online for help (recommended by Rasmussen College’s 11 Uncommon Study Habits of Straight A Students).
10. Don’t stress. It is a grade, not the rest of your life (recommended from US News Education’s 15 Secrets of Getting Good Grades in College).