It’s like the calm before the storm. It’s quiet, save for the clock dutifully counting down until the first Final rears its beastly head. We’re wrapping up all the last projects, dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s on the last few papers. With just a week or so left to go and summer fast approaching, it’s way too easy to start pulling out the beach towels and shoving the textbooks into some obscure corner of the house. Oh summer, how you beckon with your lazy days of lounging around lazily doing nothing but being lazy. Sounds like a dream.

I don’t know about you, but my brain’s already whipped out the sunscreen and rocking the sunglasses, which means it’s less than useless when it comes to studying for my finals. Sigh. Which is why, around this time of the year, I always tell myself: the final exam is nothing more than just another exam. No surprises, no pretenses, just more of the same exams that we’ve been taking for years.

That doesn’t mean we should let it smack us in the face, completely unprepared; it’s still a chance to pull together as decent a grade as possible. Still, that also doesn’t mean that you should forget to relax and take a breath!

My personal motto around this time is always: Just go with the flow. I’ve worked hard all semester. I gave my share of all-nighters and I’ve sacrificed my share of sanity. At this point in time, it’s just one. more. test. As little Meelo from Legend Of Korra would say:

 Just relax!

So study, review, and memorize what you gotta memorize, but take time and step outside. Feel the sun on your face, start making some summer plans (but keep the beach towels inside the closet right now!), and breathe. You’ve worked hard too this semester, and you deserve a little pat on the back as well.