Twas the night before finals and all through the house, there were keyboards a  clacking and papers about. Young Gators pondering unsure of what to do, no worries young gals, Xpress is here for you!

It is that crazy season again where the build up to the “most wonderful time of the year” is forestalled by the gloom of finals week. It is easy to become caught up in the promise of Christmas break, but it is important to be cognisant about the significance of finals as well. It can be overwhelming at times to imagine all of the preparation that has to be granted to a final exam in order to achieve high marks in the grade book. Some of the key components to remember during this trying time include not only good study habits but also the ideals of adequate sleep, diet, and stress relief.

First off, studying is the most important aspect to performing well on finals, but it is often carried out wrong by a majority of students. Rather than cramming everything into the brain the night before the exam and running the huge risk of not retaining pertinent information, students should try to focus on using the spacing effect. This theory states that students will remember more of what they study if they space it out over the course of a few days with repetition rather than cramming it into a few hours before the information must be regurgitated. Ideally, it would be best to start studying for each final exam a week before its actual date.

Secondly, what students drink and eat plays a huge roll in their testing performance as well. Even though it is tempting to drink a big cup of coffee before an exam early in the morning, it is a stimulant that will end up making students more anxious on edge. In order to remain as relaxed as possible, students should avoid consuming caffeinated beverages right before testing. Furthermore, not eating a balanced breakfast results in jitteriness, lack of focus, and exhaustion. Think about it; when a student is taking a long exam, it is equivalent to running in a mental marathon, so it is important to nourish the brain as an athlete would the body before a huge event. Good breakfast choices include things such as eggs, yogurt, and cottage cheese because they are protein rich foods which will grant the brain energy for acute mental awareness. Although, it is important not to overstuff oneself before the exam because lots of food takes a lot of energy to digest. When the stomach is digesting at such a rate, it takes needed energy away from the brain resulting in food coma. Instead, it is wise to eat a large meal heavy in carbs the night before the exam because by the next morning all of that food will have been digested into energy stores for mental usage. It is also important to eat snacks between exams to keep energy levels up. These small snacks could include items like nuts, granola, and fruit.

Finally, there is the need for adequate sleep. Without it, concentration, memory, and learning ability decline at a steep rate. Some of the ways to ensure getting a good night’s sleep include quitting the use of electronics a half an hour before bedtime and not drinking caffeine after noon. Using electronics right before falling asleep increases melatonin production in the brain resulting in wakefulness. The best solution to this would be to avoid high levels of light right before bed, even if they are artificial. Although, if this is not a feasible solution, an alternative is to use the Apple Nightshift feature which replicates candle light, the least stimulating level of light in the brain. Additionally, after consuming caffeine, it usually takes about seven hours for its stimulating effects to wear off. Therefore, any caffeine consumed in the late afternoon is sure to affect sleeping patterns.

The most important thing to focus on this finals season is healthy study habits accented by hard work. The point to remember is that information learned in an unhealthy way will not stick to the brain in any way.