It’s that time of the year again!  The time where a single Christmas song can uplift your spirit, as well as one drop of snow can turn into a winter wonderland. Winter is the season for shopping and cooking an assortment of treats for Christmas!  But, what could possibly stop us from completing these holiday activities?  Final exams.  Although winter is the time for fun, it is also the time to test our knowledge in each class.  To many, finals are very stressful during the holiday season.  But, there are ways to balance holiday activities with the hectic hours of studying.  Here are ways to ease your stress and help cheer up your winter.

First of all, the best thing you can do for a big test is to start studying early.  I would suggest using a binder to collect all your papers needed to study.  By being organized, you can see exactly what you need to know for the test instead of spending a large amount of time looking for each paper.  That would waste any time you could have had studying.  In addition, by starting early and reviewing the material a little bit every day, your mind will be able to retain more information.  It may also be helpful to study a different subject each day, for you don’t want to put your brain on overload.  For people who enjoy spending time with friends and family during the Christmas time, it may be beneficial to study your material efficiently throughout the week.  That way, you can spend your weekend doing Christmas activities with the people you care about.

But, if you enjoy seeing your friends throughout the week, I would recommend forming a study group!  I always enjoy studying with my friends, for we frequently quiz each other and help each other with subjects that we may need assistance on.  Also, it may be fun to hold your study groups at your favorite places.  For example, it is always fun to study at Starbucks on a cold winter day.  If you’re a coffee person, Starbucks would be a great place to pursue your studying.

Finally, the atmosphere is an essential part to the success of your studying.  In my opinion, it is a good idea to find a quiet place to study.  Whether it’s in your bedroom or another room in your house, search for a comfortable place in which you can concentrate on your studies.  Additionally, if you’re a music person, quiet music while you review will increase the tolerability of your study time.  I always find that I tend to study better when my favorite songs are playing in the background

With these ideas in mind you should have an enjoyable winter! Finals may be stressful, but if you balance your family time with your study methods, a successful winter should be coming your way.  And just remember, all your hard work will pay off, for you get a long winter break illuminated with excitement after finals come to a close.