As finals week approaches, many students balance heavy workloads, stress and long study hours while trying to finish the semester strong.

During this time, students rely on different study routines, time-management strategies and stress-relief habits to stay organized and complete their coursework.

Here’s how some students at Stan State survive finals week.

Esperanda Neto (Junior, Public Health) said her biggest challenge during finals week is balancing studying for multiple classes while keeping up with presentations and other coursework.

“Having to study for multiple classes and dealing with presentations,” Neto said. “I would just focus on one class at a time, and if I’m feeling overwhelmed, I go onto the next course.”

Her study routine typically consists of reviewing her notes, using online resources and taking breaks between study sessions.

“I go through my notes online and create a Quizlet, or use handwritten flashcards and study that way. Usually, I take a little break and go on my phone or get something to snack on, and I’d go back to studying as much as I can,” she said.

Neto said that using Quizlet has been one of her effective study tools during finals week.

“Using all resources on Quizlet, like the flashcards or quizzes, helps. I remember most information that way,” she said.

When stress becomes overwhelming, she takes breaks or reaches out to loved ones for support.

“If I’m stressed, I’ll stop and take a little break. If I need to, I call my family or friends and tell them what’s going on; they usually tell me what to do,” she said.

She noted that procrastination and cramming before finals are mistakes she has made and hopes other students can avoid.

“Procrastination and studying late, I feel like I should’ve studied throughout the semester and not cram everything right before a final,” she said. “I usually plan things out on a calendar, I put when my classes are and when to study during breaks.”

She recommends that students take advantage of resources at hand to stay on top of finals week.

“Use all the resources available to you and try to study as much as possible. Find different ways to study and stick with one that helps the most,” she said.

Jacmin Romero (Senior, Liberal Studies) said her biggest challenge during finals week is balancing coursework while preparing for exams and how it is important to prioritize school.

“Trying to complete my homework and preparing to study for finals,” Romero said. “I reduce my work hours to prioritize school.”

Her study routine mainly consists of studying as soon as she gets home from school and staying consistent with her schedule.

“I get home at 6 p.m. after school and study til 11 p.m.,” she said. “Reading and reading, also taking notes in my books.”

During her five-hour study sessions, she gives herself breaks whenever she starts feeling tired or overwhelmed.

“I take breaks in between my studying, like 10-15 minutes. I stop when I start feeling tired—that’s when I’ll take a break,” she said.

She also shared how she spends extra time studying because English isn’t her first language, which often means reviewing material more than once to fully understand it.

“I choose these hours because my first language isn’t English and I have to re-read about 2-3 times,” she said.

One of her biggest mistakes during past finals weeks was not setting aside enough time to study and how important it is to use outside resources to help understand class material.

“Not dedicating time to study,” she said. “I watch videos when I don’t understand and do extensive research outside of class.”

Her final piece of advice to students is to ask questions and use their professors as a resource during finals week.

“Ask questions if you have confusion about a topic and ask the professor questions to understand material better,” she said.

Yiselle Castellanos (Sophomore, Sociology) shared how organizing her schedule with digital tools helps her avoid making past mistakes when it comes to studying for finals.

“I went into an exam without studying the exam, bombed me,” Castellanos said. “I put everything on Google Calendar, and I organize my whole schedule and I set a time where I have to study, so it forces me to actually study.”

She also shared how it can be hard to study when not knowing what material will appear on the final exam. 

“Trying to study what’s going to be on the exam; sometimes when I study, it’s mostly stuff that isn’t on the exam,” she said. 

Which is why she uses the active recall method to help her study for finals. 

“I do a lot of repetition to memorize. I’ll go over the lecture notes, repeat the details a lot of times, do another example or question and look back at the other question to make sure I remember it. It’s called active recall,” she said. 

Castellanos also shared how she avoids experiencing burnout during finals.

“I try to do activities that I like, like crocheting, watching YouTube videos or baking—distracting myself for a moment and giving myself breaks in between so I don’t get overwhelmed,” she said.

As a final piece of advice, she encourages students to limit distractions, take breaks and use the resources available to them during finals week.

“Delete TikTok, so you’re not stuck watching videos. Try to give yourself breaks in between and ask for help by trying to go to professors’ office hours,” she said.

As finals week continues to challenge students across campus, many rely on different study habits, schedules and support systems to stay organized and prepared.

Whether through digital tools, active recall or taking breaks to manage stress, students at Stan State continue finding ways to navigate the pressures of finals week.