Midterms and finals week both equal hell week for every college student on planet earth. This week might scare you as it’s the worst week of the semester but you have so many gift options you can give or get to make sure your brain doesn’t fry by the end of Friday. Don’t let one exam, paper or presentation stand in the way of reaching your shining star potential. Let the positive words pull you through.
Positive words will help you chug along through exam week. So Treat Yo Self.
1. Motivational Tapestry
If you need a big and bold reminder for how great you are, you can never go wrong with a tapestry for your dorm/apartment. Tapestries developed into a very popular way to spice up your bedroom. Luckily, they come in a variety of styles, including ones with positive words on them. When in college, finals could seem as if they happen every day, not just one week out of the semester. Why not invest in something that can help get you through every day of the week?
2. Goal-Setting Planner
If college requires anything, it is a long list of things to do that never seem to end. With goal-setting planners you can put all your goals onto paper for an easy-to-follow list. And nothing will satisfy you more than checking those goals off that list. “I set myself daily goals and a daily schedule. That helps me see where I am and how I’m doing,” said Temple University junior Ory Goldenshtein. “If I finish early, I might reward myself with some YouTube videos or a video game. If I do well on a final/paper etc., I might buy myself something new.”
3. Destressing Lotion
If you don’t know what to get a friend to help them get through their finals week, you can’t go wrong with destressing products. These fairly cheap lotions, mists or soaps can save a life. Find out your friend’s favorite scent and surprise him/her with products that can (hopefully) save them from a migraine. They will probably obsessively lather themselves in it since finals week always feels like it will never end.
4. Post-it Notes
Temple University sophomore Claire McGlinchey said that her favorite motivational quote is, “Fear of failure is a hell of a motivator.” On the other hand Temple University sophomore Tonny Weng said that his favorite reminder is, “I mean, I paid a few thousand for this class.” No matter what thoughts help you get through the week, these reminders motivate you to do your best and hopefully inspire others to do the same. Gather your favorite inspirational and humorous reminders that could impact other students around your campus. By running around your campus and finding weird but visible places for these notes, you and your friends can have a lot of fun. That freshman going through their first exam week might find it uplifting to see a post it in their bathroom stall.
5. Wear Your Motivation with Graphic Tees
Wearing an inspirational t-shirt can help get you motivated every day of finals week. You can give these shirts to your friends or siblings to remind them that they’ve got this. Clothing grew as an easy way to communicate an idea and by wearing these motivational t-shirts, students find that these quotes can have a positive impact on their outlook. Quote t-shirts have flourished into a form of expression and sometimes these expressions spread like wildfire. Wearing inspirational t-shirts can help motivate you and everyone on campus that sees you flaunting it. Plus, it gives you and your friends an excuse to buy and wear funny t-shirts for a week straight.
6. Surprise Friends with Snacks
“I buy a pack of Nestle Toll House cookie dough and just eat raw cookie dough whenever I feel stressed. Basically, I consume a lot of raw cookie dough,” said Temple University sophomore Victoria Van Buskirk. Despite its randomness, giving someone a tub of cookie dough will definitely make students like Victoria smile. If their favorite stress-relieving snacks include cookie dough, go ahead and add “You’re a smart cookie” on the packaging. This takes the gift to the next level of sentimentality with no extra charge. Just cue your inner corniness and produce as many puns as possible. If you have good luck, maybe they’ll share those snacks with you. Or you can get a few (or a cartload) of snacks for yourself as well.
7. Literally Anything That Involves a Meme
Everyone likes a nice meme, especially college students. As we all know, memes can surface on just about anything. But, if you don’t want to buy any of these gifts, you can’t go wrong with printing out your favorite finals week memes and posting them throughout the campus for everyone to enjoy. When it comes to memes, you have unlimited options. If you want to take it to the next level, though, you can gather your meme-loving friends and purchase the What the Meme card game. Memes can lift those finals week blues, give some laughs and jumpstart your motivation after a well-deserved break. “Honestly, memes get me through finals. They’re relatable and always seem to put a smile on my face, especially the memes that blow up, such as Ugandan Knuckles or Distracted Boyfriend,” said Temple University junior Laura Hutson.
8. Treat Yo Self Blanket
Make sure you relax during exam week. Snuggle up with this blanket and Treat Yo Self by watching your favorite shows after a long week of studying. You shouldn’t penalize yourself for taking breaks during finals week. Your mental health remains the most important part of this week. If it takes snuggling in bed with a pint of ice cream watching Wolf of Wall Street to motivate you for the rest of your exams, then do it. “During finals week I re-watched my favorite shows and told myself that I can only study so much. I studied early and spent the night doing what I wanted instead,” said Temple University sophomore Hannah Shippas.
9. Surround Yourself with Positive People
Giving gifts to stressed out friends may leave some to forget about themselves. Make sure you give the most basic gift to yourself during finals week: positivity. You can do this by surrounding yourself with positive, motivating people who will help you get through your finals. “Surrounding myself with positive people is key. I found my group of friends during my freshman year and they have been a great help ever since,” said Temple University sophomore Jessica Evans. “During finals one semester we all hung around our dorm lounge, pulled an all-nighter then watched the sunrise that morning. This year we really just chilled in someone’s room. We pushed each other to keep working and to remain focused.”
10. Reward Yourself
When finals week finally ends, make sure you reward yourself to a relaxing and fun activity with friends or family. This could include anything from turning into a vegetable on the couch all break, going out on the weekend or treating yourself to something in order to feel brand new. No matter what you do, recognize your abilities and celebrate being done with another semester. This is the best gift you can give yourself. Temple University student Serenity Williams said, “My favorite quote is from the ‘I need a pencil’ YouTube video. It is ‘I’m ‘bout to fail this test, but I’m still the best.’ After finals I reward myself by getting a Mani-Pedi.”
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