Getting excited for finals week? Of course not! Jump into finals week head first by utilizing technology to make your life easier.

Prepare for finals before finals week!

• Organize files on your computer by making a desktop folder for each class. Put all files and assignments you've downloaded and worked on in the folder for that class so everything is easily accessible.

• Download antivirus software to protect your computer. Be preventative and download antivirus software! Though a trip to Help Desk Central might provide a nice study break, the last thing you need is a malfunctioning computer while you're trying to study.
  • Visit Knowledge Base for a list of free or low-cost antivirus tools. 

Get the right amount of sleep or make sure you wake up on time
College students typically get 6-6.9 hours of sleep per night, but 8 hours of sleep per night is highly recommended. Check out these apps to help you sleep, but not oversleep:

• Alarmy - This app lets you set your alarm with tasks that will force you awake. You might have to get up and take a picture of a specific location in your house, shake your phone a certain number of times, or solve a math problem. If you have a hard time getting up to be productive, this might be the app for you.
• Bedtime - If you have an iPhone, this feature is already built into the clock app. You can set what time you need to wake up in the morning and how much sleep you need. It will then set your bedtime for you and alert you when that time is coming up. It can also automatically enable Do Not Disturb.
• Google Clock - If you are an Android user, this is the simple and easy alarm app for you. This app has Spotify integration so you can wake up to your favorite track. You can also set a "morning routine" that will trigger other smart products in your house as soon as you turn off the alarm.

Prepare with friends

It's very helpful to study with classmates, but sometimes not everyone can make it to the same place at the same time. Through Texas A&M, you have access to Google Apps and a free Zoom pro account. Try these apps this finals season to ensure you never miss a study session:

• Google Docs allows for easy collaboration. Multiple people can work on one document at the same time from anywhere as long as they have the link. This makes building study guides with classmates easier than ever.
• Zoom is your new favorite app if you value face-to-face study sessions but just can't corral the troops. With high-quality audio and video, you can meet with a group and do just about everything you could do in person. Zoom features screen sharing, which allows participants to show others what's on their screens. There is also a co-annotation feature allowing users to share documents, photos and video clips while allowing others to annotate by adding notes or comments on documents.

Block out noise
All of your favorite on-campus study spots will probably be packed during finals week. Use these tips to help you block out distractions.

• Noise-cancelling headphones - Check out Best Noise Cancelling Headphones Under $100 to find quality headphones on the cheap!
• Find a good playlist- Do you enjoy the quiet but not too quiet? Wondering what you should listen to on your noise-cancelling headphones? Find a good playlist that will keep you focused and not incite a mini dance party.
  • For the ultimate finals study jams, check out the Division of IT's Finals Study Playlist on Spotify! 

• Tide - Tide is a focus timer that uses the Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes of focus, break). It has built-in white noise and nature sounds. If studying with music is too distracting but you still need headphones to block out the noise around you, try Tide!

Utilize on-campus resources!

• Use the Texas A&M app to track which OALS are filling up before you get to campus. Open the app and tap the OAL Lab Computers icon. It will show you how many computers are available at all of the OALs across campus.
• Visit the University Writing Center for all of your final paper writing needs. The UWC is located on the second floor of Evans library and in West Campus Library. Check out the University Writing Center website for hours and finals events and to make an appointment.