Getting Organized for Finals

We are rapidly nearing the end of the semester, final projects are due, exams are coming up. It's time for the final push. Unfortunately, students and professors, alike, are feeling burned out these days. The best cure for burn out is re-prioritizing yourself and getting necessary rest, and hopefully, for many of you, rest is just around the corner as summer approaches. But in the immediate term, the only way to reach summer is to get through the end of the semester. The best advice I can offer you for a (relatively) painless end of the semester is to get really organized and to create systems for yourself that will make life easier, rather than harder, for the next few weeks. 

Here's the strategy to get organized and get through the end of the semester: 

1. Start by figuring out what assignments and exams you have between now and the last day of the semester. List them out, in order of due date, so that you have a really clear idea of what is left on your plate. 
2. Once you have all your assignments and exams listed clearly, begin to think through what needs to happen to complete that task. If it's an assignment, what are the requirements? A 10 page research paper is going to require very different things from you than an in-class, closed-book final exam. 
3. Next, break each assignment down into actionable steps - these should be your SMART Goals. If it's going to be a closed book exam, then those study goals might involve collecting all notes, creating flash carts, filling out a study guide, etc. If you need to write a research paper, then your goals are going to involve looking for relevant articles, taking notes, writing an outline, fleshing-out the outline into a paper, and revising / editing. 
4. Now, get out your calendar and start to figure out your deadlines and timelines for the various projects and assignments. Maybe this week you need to collect research for a paper AND organize your notes for another class. Then next week you need to create an outline AND make flashcards. Make sure that, as much as possible, you give yourself reasonable tasks that you actually can complete in the day / times you have allocated. 

These steps should give you an actionable plan for pushing through the end of the semester. Ideally, you're going have set yourself reasonable goals that you can achieve without pulling all nighters or waiting until a last minute panic-induced frenzy inspires you. Making reasonable goals, setting yourself attainable tasks, and managing your stress levels IS a form of self-care, and it can help you avoid worsening the burnout you are already feeling. I also realize that the more burned-out you are, the harder it is to do these tasks. There are ways to push through and trick yourself into getting work done, even when you are lacking motivation. But remember that there is no substitution for getting enough sleep, eating regular meals, and fostering connection with your friends or family. 

You can do this. You will get through the next few weeks. You are smart enough, capable enough, competent enough. I'd say good luck, but I know you don't need it. ​