With finals week approaching quickly, the clock is ticking down for Christmas holidays. Everyone is dying for a break. There is exactly 15 days of school left (excluding weekends), but in order to make it to the other side of the semester, we all have to face the daunting week of finals.

The week of countless hours in the library, as well as bottomless cups of coffee are breathing down all college students’ necks. How will we survive? It will take some clever strategy to make it out alive, both physically and academically.

Here are some tips to help you survive the dreaded finals week:

1. Do not deprive yourself of sleep: Contrary to popular belief, staying up all night to study probably does not actually assist in making high scores. It has been scientifically proven that you test better with a good night’s rest. Naps are acceptable, as long as they do not last longer than the famous 20 minute power-nap.

2. Snacks for motivation: What better encouragement to study than rewarding yourself with a taco after you make it through your math study guide? If your final consists of a paper, reward yourself after the completion of every paragraph. (Example: Step One: Complete introduction paragraph. Step Two: Eat a sour gummy worm.)

3. Do not JUST rely on snacks for your nutrition: Though it is true that junk food is often a good motivator, eating real meals will help keep you fueled up for studying. Eating a good breakfast each morning, especially, is good brain food. Keep your brain happy, and maybe it will repay you on test day.

4. Take breaks: Locking yourself in your room or gluing yourself to a library cubicle is not necessarily steps down the path to success. You will fry your brain if you go five hours straight. Study for an hour, and then give yourself a break. Take a walk. Take a nap. Watch an episode of your current favorite show on Netflix, but only if you have enough self-control to stop after one episode.

5. Study Together: Study groups do not work for everyone, but if you are the type of person who works better when you have others holding you accountable, schedule study dates. Maybe even go in together for pizza.

6. Remember, it’s going to be okay: Don’t forget, one test is not going to bring life to an end. Try your best but do not let it kill you. Your worth in life is not based on what letter grade you end up with in class. So, when frustration comes, remind yourself that this is NOT the end of the world, regardless of what happens.

There are three weeks left until finals week arrives. This is the final stretch now. This is where all the hard work will pay off. So, hang in there, it will all be over soon, and a full month of vacation will be a reward worth all this hard work.