The end of the year is just around the corner, and with that comes the end of term too. Tests, exams, and the pressure to pass all of your classes. It’s definitely a time of tension and stress, and because we want you to succeed, here are 4 steps that can help you through finals.

1. Make a Schedule

A fundamental step is planning ahead. It’s really important to make a schedule so you can keep track of your exams.

What is it useful for? The idea behind organizing your calendar is to prepare for your exams with time, so you can schedule your days of study and your days of rest. This method will allow you to be mindful of your time, as well as to prepare materials ahead or arrange study group sessions on your days marked for studying.

2. Get Some Rest

Remember that studying 24 hours in a row is useless if your mind doesn’t get a break. It’s likely that you will retain only half of the information and the rest will just end up a fog in your brain due to exhaustion and tension.

Sleep the hours your body and mind need, take the breaks you consider necessary. Maybe take a short walk, or eat something in between, or talk to your family and friends.

Putting your mind to something too hard with no space for relaxation will lead you to feel exhausted and without any desire to study for your exams.

3. Do Some Exercise

When you’re feeling stressed due to the pressure that comes with the end of term, a good alternative is exercise.

Why would I exercise if I need to study? Well, exercising will allow you to channel your energy, it will relax your body and your mind, and when studying you’ll feel much more relaxed and focused.

Try with a short run, yoga, a dance tutorial, etc. Whenever you’re feeling overwhelmed, try leaving stress behind with some exercise.

4. Don’t Leave Everything until the Last Minute

Studying only during the days prior to your exams won’t be effective. On the contrary, it will increase your anxiety and it may lead to your questioning of your own capabilities.

Remember that preparing ahead is always the best option.

Still don’t know what you want to study? Don’t know where to start? What to do? The end of the year is almost here and with this comes the important decision of choosing a program to study. The pressure increases and so does the uncertainty. If you still haven’t made up your mind, here is some advice that may help you have a better idea.

1. What do I do?

First, you have to understand that you’re not the only one going through this. It’s normal that when it comes to deciding what to major in you feel pressured or anxious and a lot of uncertainty.

Medicine? Law? Veterinary Sciences? There are so many programs available that it makes the process even more confusing.

Take a break, close your eyes and breathe. Focus, think about yourself and try to forget about the pressure.

2. What do I Like?

This is one of the most important questions to ask yourself.

Analyze what you like doing, what keeps you interested. Think to yourself: what would you like to be doing in 5 or 10 years? Identifying what you’re passionate about is crucial, since the program you choose to study will most likely have an impact on your future.

Can you imagine living doing something you’re not passionate about?

3. Crisis

Finding your calling is discovering your passion for something, in this case, for a profession or field. The idea of having a calling is to enjoy what we’re doing to the point it completes us and makes us happy.

If it’s difficult for you and you think you’re going through a crisis, you can take an aptitude test, which, through different questions, will help you identify what you like best. This may vary, from reading a book to painting.

4. A Personal Decision

Remember that this is your process to go through and no one else’s. Do research by yourself, talk to people that may guide you, students that are currently studying the programs you’re interested in so they can tell you about their experiences.

You can listen to different opinions, advice and get some orientation but in the end, the decision has to be yours.