AHHHHHH Exams

So, my major problem with studying for exams, is I look at the bigger picture. I look at everything I have to do and have not done yet. I become overwhelmed.

WELL THIS IS WRONG. 

It is the worst possible way to look at studying for exams. period. Don't do it.

Something I have to constantly tell myself is to FOCUS ON ONE THING AT A TIME. Focus on one test. Don't let yourself think about all the tests you have, and the paper you still have to write. Just focus on the one test you are studying for and forget everything else.

Because lets be honest, when I try to comprehend the amount of material I have to study for my four exams, and the research I have to do for this 10 page paper, I shut down and get overwhelmed. The only way I can survive exam week is to focus on one assignment, one class, one test, at a time.

I'm sitting here studying for my final at 8 am tomorrow and this hit me. Becuase I started to think about my paper that I have to finish, and need to work on and litteraly started to feel hopeless. Hopeless because I thought 'there is no way I can actually do all this, no way I will do well on everything.' And I just downward spiraled from there. I began to think of the econ, physics, and chem tests I have next week. BUT those are NEXT WEEK. Not in 5 hours. I have an exam in five hours that I need to focus on. And realizing that, realizing that pushing everything else away and focusing on this one test, releived my stress. It made things seem so much more doable. Because once this test is done, I don't have to worry about it. In five hours this class is done and over. So I can focus on just this one thing for the next five hours, then worry about whatever is next.

This is so much better then trying to study for this exam, while thinking about what sources I should use for my paper, and how awful this chem exam is going to be because my proffesor is a pompous ass who likes to torture his students. I have to push all that to the side, and focus on the material in front of me.

So thats my rant... but still, don't let yourself get caught in this downward spiral. Don't allow yourself to become so overwhelmed with everything you still have to do, and focus on what you have done, and what is next. Take it one day and one subject at a time, and remember:

 Focus on ONE thing at a time!

I assure you, if you take this approach to studying for exams, you're week will seem a lot less hellish, and your stress will be greatly reduced!