Oh, finals. How you manage to strike such panic in the hearts of so many innocent children across the world remains a mystery. No longer can we procrastinate. No longer can we justify that we don’t need to know information until later in the semester. No longer can we hide from our fear of you.

But fear not, fellow students. The following tricks will help you to reduce the risk of chaos, nervous breakdowns and other havoc finals wreaks on us.

Eating well, staying hydrated, and just taking care of yourself in general makes a world of difference. Don’t neglect meals or stress eat and burn through 5 bags of Lays. Eating healthy and properly nourishing your body allows your brain to take in information better. A Harvard Medical School study released in August 2012 titled “Boost your memory by eating right” found that “when you eat a heart-healthy diet that is low in saturated fat, you reduce your risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity, all of which are believed to contribute to memory loss.” Getting a good night’s sleep will also help your brain function better, since it needs rest.

Do not study in bed. You’ll want to nap, you won’t focus, and when it is time for you to sleep it’ll be harder since your brain will associate that area with work. Try a library or a study room in your house that’s quiet, and if you need background noise to work, use headphones. Studying with friends can sometimes be effective, but don’t choose friends that will keep you distracted the whole time. Find what works for you.

Studying should happen in spurts, rather than having a marathon. Take half hour breaks every now and then. Go out for lunch with a friend, watch an episode of your favorite TV show, or do anything else you enjoy. Working out during your break is also a great way to relieve stress and boost your mood and focus when you come back to the books.

Absent-minded exam mistakes you remember later can torment you all throughout finals week. Don’t forget to go back and change an answer or do a question you skipped. Don’t spend too long on a question; that one question you’re trying to figure out for 20 minutes isn’t worth the same amount of points as the questions you miss because of lost time will be.

Making a plan ahead of time can help with stress since everything is mapped out for you. It will also reduce the risk of forgetting to study something. Divide bigger items into smaller tasks. For example, instead of planning to study chapter 12, plan to first go over your chapter 12 notes, then look at all the chapter 12 maps, then read the conclusion paragraph.

Many people’s main source of stress during final exams comes from pressure from their parents, peers, or any other type of pressure. Rather you will be more motivated to do as well as you can if you shut all those people out and find a reason for yourself. It will also reduce stress and help you keep yourself together. Whether it be a personal achievement or you’ve promised yourself a spa day after the week is over, anything that’s a benefit for yourself will work.

Finals are not as daunting as they seem to many students. Getting a good night’s sleep, taking care of yourself and efficiently studying will help you get through this time. Don’t make it too stressful, but make sure you give it plenty of importance as finals are your last chance to get your grade to what you want. Plus, after finals are all over, you have 2 weeks of time to relax and spend time with people you love.