It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Finals

Everyone knows what time of year it is, especially when they start to hear those lovely songs play on repeat on the radio station. Yes, Christmas is on it's way. Prepare yourselves for hectic shopping trips and the stress of whether the Duck Dynasty slippers you ordered for that one family member are going to arrive on time or get lost in the Christmas Present traffic jam that we call the Post Office. 

For most people, this time of the year means lots of shopping, spending, gift wrapping, and crying about how empty their wallets have become because they missed the Black Friday sales. But for us college and high-school students, this time of the year only means one thing...

Finals.

Late night study sessions, little sleep, lots of caffeine and large amounts of unneeded stress. Yes, Finals are coming. We procrastinate til the last second and then run around like chickens with our heads cut off, but hey, that's just what we do...

So, how to avoid the absolutely NOT needed stress of Finals?  Here's a few tips:

1. Don't procrastinate.
Waiting til the night before to finish a paper or study for that exam is a BAD idea. Try and plan out your study sessions at an appropriate time of the day when your brain is most alert and willing to absorb the knowledge needed. Remember to give yourself some rest, your mind needs a break as well.

2. Get lots of sleep.
In the movies you always see the college kid staying up and studying til the crack of dawn, and then getting a great grade because he or she 'Power Studied'. Let me tell you, it doesn't work. Your mind and body needs lots of rest to be able to function properly during test time. You definitely don't want to fall asleep in class and blow your whole exam, even if you know the answers.

3. Eat healthy.
Loading up on caffeine and sugared foods is not always a bad idea, but you don't want to feel sick on exam day. Try and balance a good, healthy breakfast with your sugary diet for finals week. Give your mind the ability to focus on your tests, and give your body the energy to move from one class to the next.

4. Be prepared.
The worst thing to do is wake up on exam morning and realize that you're missing your Scantron, or your lucky #2 pencil. Be sure to go through your backpack the night before and double check that you have everything you need. Better to be over-prepared than missing an important piece of exam day.

5. Pray and trust the Lord.
Definitely want to do this before, during, and after your exams. God knows what you're going through, and asking him to get you through your exams and putting your complete trust in Him is a good way to start off the end of your semester and a good way to prepare for the next one.

 "May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!" Psalms 20:1.

 "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright."  Psalms 20:7-8.

 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13.

I pray that every High-school and College student has a great finals week and that they will put their trust in God during this rough last week of school :)

Just remember; do your best, and God will bless :)