Hoosier State of Prep: Surviving Spring Dead Week

Dead Week: True or False?

The week before finals that where you only review in classes and have endless amounts of free time to study and nothing is due.

FALSE

For me there is nothing 'dead' about dead week. Tomorrow I have my first final and a final essay due. Thank you for adding to my anxiety professors, really. This week I've spent my time studying in Starbucks around campus and trying to avoid the crowded library at all costs. Also, if you wonder why I'll be sporting a hunched back for the next few weeks, you can talk to my full backpack. So here are my tips to surviving Dead Week.

Have all materials with you.

Avoid going back to your room by having everything you need to study that day with you. This will help you avoid going back to your room and sitting on your bed watching Netflix.

Don't buy new materials.

Use all of the pens and notecards you have in your room. I have at least 30 pens and 10 highlighters that I could use within the next two weeks. This will save you money and time, not to mention space when you move out and go home.

Study smart.

Color block whatever you're studying. Do not use the same color for the whole page because you'll begin to just stare at the page. I got this advice from my favorite professor!
Do not make notecards for classes like psychology because everything works together and these notecards could lead to forgetting important parts of the main ideas.

Take study breaks.

Watch one short episode on Netflix or check out unread blog posts!

Relax

At the end of the day, if you're stressed now, you'll be stressed during finals. Stop calculating your grades and start studying. Hang out with friends. Go get ice cream with friends. Do anything to get your mind off of the grades that you 'have' to get to get the grade you want. Overthinking will not help you know!
PS I've already gotten ice cream with my friends twice this week and cookies!

As for study materials, here is what I take with me to study: