Dead week has arrived for college students across Indiana. Dead week to the college population means homework, projects, papers, and last-minute preparation before finals begin the following week. Dead week can also be finals week for some students, as different classes have different schedules or may not have actual finals to be completed in the last week of the semester. Whether it be the last semester of your freshman year or the winding down of your senior year, dead week is definitely one that can be tricky to navigate without some tips.
- Set up a study schedule
Study schedules can be very useful. Some are ambitious, meaning that the student is determined to study for the entire week with barely any time to do anything else. These other needs that may be neglected can include sleeping, eating, or showering. The trick is to not be too ambitious with your study schedule. Be aware of other commitments, and make time to relax even if that is only for an hour a day. I get that this is when cramming starts and when stress levels rise to extreme levels. However, if you decide to study a little at a time, dead week and finals week will not be so unmanageable.
- Finish projects, papers, and homework as early as possible
Remember how friends, family, and teachers warned you about the dangers of procrastination? Well it gets even worse during dead week. You do not want to be finishing up anything last minute and then trying to cram for an exam that happens shortly after. Very few students can excel on assignments and exams when procrastinating. The earlier you finish all the work, the more time you have to study (or relax).
- Sleep
All-nighters are not your friend. All-nighters are not anyone’s friend. Sleep, even if it is for four hours. Some sleep is better than no sleep. Statistics show that sleeping actually aids in the learning (and remembering) process. If you follow steps 1 and 2 from above, then time for sleep should be possible.
- Slay those finals
Finals week starts on April 30. It’s time to kick those classes to the curb, slay those finals, and get ready for summer! As Chris Evans says in the gif below: “Okay… Yes, I’m ready…” You’ve got this!
Dead week is the week where students may look and feel dead inside because #college. But if you keep up a positive attitude and get ready to end this semester on the bright side, dead week won’t seem so intense after all.
Bailey Tingley
Psychology Major and Cutters Intern
Hey guys! I'm a senior Psychology student with an undeniable passion for life. It's rare to find me completely out of sorts and feeling down on myself. I am a lover of adventure, the medical field, German soccer, and Cutters football. When I'm not completely immersed in sports, school, work, internships and volunteering, you'll catch me laughing at ridiculous jokes, making a blog post for We Are IU or attempting to sleep.
