Many students have their own unique way of getting through the quarter, but finals week is not like the rest. You can feel the tension in the air as many students scramble to reach deadlines and prepare for exams. The quarter system goes by so quickly that before you know it, finals week has arrived. The last of the quarter brings along the remaining bulk of work, and every student has their own method of finishing everything on time. To survive the UCLA quarter system, students have to come up with routines and other ways of de-stressing and staying healthy. Organization is key when it comes to succeeding at UCLA, especially with busy schedules.
Students must be able to juggle assignments, clubs, relationships, and more. Many find themselves feeling anxious or stressed, and sometimes this can be very unhealthy. Some will lose sleep and stay up all night to finish assignments, while others may forgo any food preparation required for balanced meals. As you can see, learning how to cope with the quarter is important.
Here are a couple of tips on how to get through the quarter system successfully:
1. Getting organized can help relieve stress, and by breaking down your assignments, finals, meetings, and extracurricular activities, you can create a visual map in which you’re able to prioritize what needs to get done in order of due date and importance.
2. Communication is key when it comes to assignments. Talking to your professors and teaching assistants will be beneficial if you need clarification or extensions on an assignment. Waiting last minute for help can cause more anxiety and also delay your success.
3. Self-care is also important to stay productive. You have to make sure to give yourself proper breaks and reward yourself for completing assignments. Refreshing your mind and giving yourself a breather can help your brain and body recharge.
4. Studying with your friends and classmates can also help you stay motivated. Study groups with classmates are even more productive because you’ll often be working on an assignment together. This can create a fun and more relaxed environment to learn and finish assignments. Even if you aren’t working on the same assignment, it can be helpful to work with peers to hold each other accountable.
It can be helpful to try different tactics before figuring out what methods work best for you. Happy finals week!
