Eastern students shared their tips for working through the last week of classes in the semester.

Find a place to study

Many students like studying in quiet areas before finals.

Elizabeth Hicks, a sophomore English major, said she enjoys a quiet space to study in but prefers to not study in her room.

“I like going to the library in a study room or a quiet area on the second floor,” Hicks said.

Morgan Weishaar, a sophomore clinical laboratory science major, agreed that quiet spaces help her study and that she likes to utilize study rooms in Booth Library.

Ben Esgar, a junior English language arts, said he has simple needs for a study spot.

“Give me a dark corner; that’s all I need,” Esgar said. “In the library, it’s very hush-hush. It’s just you and the architecture, really.”

Give yourself time to study

Esgar said finals should be important enough to dedicate time to.

“Ideally finals themselves are enough to warrant three weeks of studying,” Esgar said.

Students said it was important to set aside time in the day to study for upcoming finals.

Hicks said she wishes she focused more on studying before the big tests.

“It’s very stressful, and I have a lot to do that I should have done over break,” Hicks said. “I think it would have been enough time if I had managed my personal time better.”

Cody Borntreger, a senior television and video production major, said he also procrastinated on work he could have done over break.

“It feels like a bit of a time crunch, mostly because I’ve got lots of projects,” Borntreger said. “I should’ve been working on them over break.”

Weishaar said it is important to start studying early for upcoming finals.

“Start early, manage your time really well, make like a schedule even of what to do on each day,” Weishaar said.

Eliminate distractions

Hicks recommends not focusing on phones can benefit students who are trying to study for finals.

“Using your phone too much or getting distracted by something else or telling myself, ‘I’m going to study,’ and then not studying,” Hicks said. “I just turn my phone off or I put it across the room.”

Weishaar said she cannot be around a lot of people while she studies or she will not get anything done.

“I can’t focus if people are talking around me or there’s a lot of noise going on,” she said.

Be realistic

Ready or not, finals are going to be next week.

This year there is one week in between Thanksgiving and finals week to prepare for the end of the semester.

Weishaar said she does not feel like the week is enough time before finals.

“I feel like it’s not a lot of time to do everything,” Weishaar said.

Esgar said he is ready for the week.

“It doesn’t really bother me too much; honestly, it’s kind of nice,” Esgar said.

Esgar said he thinks the week will go quickly.

“I feel like it’s going to be the Band-Aid effect,” Esgar said. “It’s just going to be pulled off, and then it’ll be over.”

Corryn Brock and Hannah Shillo contributed to this article.

Lizzy Wood can be reached at 581-2812 or at ehwood@eiu.edu.