Finals week is here, and whether you’re ready to ace your exams or dreading the week and counting down to the holidays, many effective study methods can help you survive finals. Unfortunately, many students’ go-to study routine involves procrastinating, eating junk food, sugary energy drinks and cramming late into the night before the test. But these strategies are probably the least effective. Here are 10 study tips to help you successfully conquer your final exams:

1. Instead of cramming for 13 hours straight the night before the final, try breaking up your study time into chunks. Psychology Today states learning over several shorter sessions is more effective than trying to learn in one big session. It’s important to take regular breaks to help your brain absorb more information and keep you motivated and focused. Examtime suggests taking a study break after 45-50 minutes because your concentration will become impaired after this period, and any new information after studying for one hour and 30 minutes will not get assimilated into your memory.

2. While most students make the library their new home during finals, Examtime says alternating study environments actually improves information retention. Chegg states changing your study spot can help you regain focus on your work and keep you from getting bored and procrastinating because you get too comfortable staying in one location for hours.

3. Some students choose to listen to music while they study, which stimulates the brain and helps you concentrate and retain information, according to Chegg. But make sure to listen to music that will actually help you while studying and not make you distracted. Examtime suggests listening to classical music, ambient instrumental music or nature sounds, as these are all quiet and peaceful.

4. Being active is one of the best things you do to keep your brain engaged. The New York Times reported exercise helps resist physical shrinkage of the brain and enhances cognitive flexibility. Examtime stated 20 minutes of exercise before an exam can improve performance. Live Science reports that gum-chewing has much the same effect as exercising, as motion warms up the brain and gets more blood flowing to the head by increasing heart rate and blood pressure.

5. One problem many students face while studying is avoiding distractions on the Internet. You can download apps, such as SelfControl, which blocks websites for a certain amount of time. Avoiding social media websites and apps help you stay focused on your studies. And since you set the amount of time you want, you reward yourself by taking a few minutes on social media during study breaks.

6. To keep your mind aware and add some creativity to your studying, try varying your studying techniques. Drawing diagrams, creating mind maps and making flashcards are all ways you can connect ideas together quickly and visually. Taking notes from your books and making study guides are also useful and easy. Break up your study guide by using different colors for each section of material to help make associations while studying.

7. Reading your notes out loud can help you retain the information better. Examtime reports you’re 50 percent more likely to remember something if you speak it out loud instead of reading it repeatedly. Teaching other students can also help guarantee that you understand the information.

8. Sleeping and eating well during finals week is essential to keeping you and your brain healthy. The Wall Street Journal reports pulling an all-nighter can have serious consequences as it can impair reasoning and memory for as long as four days. Examtime says when you sleep, your brain assimilates the information you studied. The Wall Street Journal also suggests reviewing the toughest material right before bed can make it easier to recall the material later. Eating well can improve your testing performance because it allows your brain to get a constant supply of energy, instead of crashing due to lots of sugar and caffeine.

9. Make sure you know what studying techniques work best for you. If working with others helps, form study groups. If you need to be in a quiet place to study, don’t listen to music or study at a coffee shop or in the student center. Instead, go to the library, or find an empty classroom to study. Use the resources available to you. Make an appointment at the Academic Counseling Center in Murray-Herrick Campus Center Room 110 or ask your teachers questions during their office hours.

10. The most important advice is having confidence in yourself and doing the best you can to prepare for your exams. Make sure to stay focused, but don’t stress out or doubt your abilities; that will make for a much more successful finals week.

Claire Noack can be reached at noac8702@stthomas.edu.