Finals week: the dreaded time of too many exams, saying goodbye to friends and packing up all belongings to store in a garage until the fall. Surviving this week will be a challenge, but you’ll come out of it a better person with better grades if you follow this advice.

I, myself, have not just survived, but thrived through four of these weeks, and have learned a few tips and tricks that have helped my friends and me cross the finish line of the school year to enjoy the summer.

First: make a plan. Knowing exactly what you need to do during this overwhelming week will help it feel more manageable. According to an article by the Huffington Post, planning ahead lessens stress, allows you to spend less time doing schoolwork and helps you prepare for the unexpected.

During finals week, if you sit down for five minutes to plan out what needs to be done and when, everything during the week will fall right into place. We all stress about how we’re going to finish everything we need to during weeks like this, and planning everything out will help.

Finals week is about more than just the exams, but those exams are incredibly important. Some of them will determine if you pass a class and others will give you that extra few percentage points you need for that coveted A. Prioritize the exams that are most important and prepare accordingly.

Another exam tip is getting together with study groups. Whatever your learning style is, working with a group can be beneficial. Even if you prefer to study on your own, having someone else in the room who knows the same material will give you access to something you might have missed.

After prepping for your exams, you will need some free time. Nothing is more stressful than back-to-back study sessions and exams. Allow yourself some time to relax and not think about the stressful parts of the week.

University Recreation gives Cougs an opportunity to “Sweat the Stress” and forget about exams and studying. This opens up dozens of free classes and activities for students to focus on, providing an outlet that will make them feel good and reverse stress.

According to the UREC website, “Physical activity is linked to numerous psychological, physiological and physical health benefits.” The website also cites a connection between exercise and success in academics.

If packing up the dorm room or apartment is another task on your list during finals week, find a way to make it fun and relaxing and do a little bit every day. Bump some tunes and enjoy the fact that you won’t have to live in a dorm room again. Use the opportunity to relax and reflect rather than stress.

Finally, finding some time to spend with friends during this week will make the goodbyes easier. Plan a family-style dinner or an outing to a park so everyone can have a final hurrah together before enjoying separate summers.