Surviving Finals Season: My Advice as a Burnt-Out 3L

Finals season feels dramatic no matter what you’re studying. Even if you’re not in law school, there’s something about this time of year that turns your brain into mashed potatoes, your sleep schedule into chaos, and your Google Calendar into a huge mess. But after years of higher education, including a particularly unhinged run through law school, I’ve learned a few things about surviving finals without losing the part of yourself that still resembles a human being.

Here’s the truth no one tells you until you’re deep in the trenches: Finals aren’t about perfection -- they’re about energy management, self-respect, and strategy.

So here’s my real advice, the kind you only learn after years of doing school on hard mode.

1. Your Brain Is Not a Machine. Treat It Like a Person.

You cannot grind your way through exhaustion. Trust me, I’ve tried. Finals season demands a lot, but your brain works better when you talk to it like a teammate instead of a malfunctioning laptop.

Give yourself:

• short bursts of focus instead of marathon sessions

• food that didn’t come from a vending machine

• five-minute “eyes closed, deep breath” moments

You don’t get bonus points for suffering. You get results from working with the brain you actually have. The sooner you stop expecting machine-level efficiency, the easier everything becomes.

2. Do What Works, Not What Looks Pretty

There will always be someone with a color-coded system, six different highlighters, a Pinterest-grade study area, and a morning routine involving ten different self care items, matcha, morning routines and meditation. And that’s great, for them. But the best study system is the one that works for you, not the one that photographs well.

Sometimes it’s:

• messy notes

• a playlist that keeps you awake

• typing because handwriting is too slow

• studying in bed because the desk feels hostile

• three cups of coffee and a prayer

Years of intense schooling taught me this: Results > aesthetics. Every time.

3. Your Capacity Will Fluctuate. Don’t Take It Personally.

There will be days when everything clicks and days when your brain is like: “Absolutely not, try again later.” Neither defines you. Burnout changes how your mind works, not because you’re incapable, but because you’ve been running on high gear for too long. That dip doesn’t mean you’re doomed. It doesn’t mean you’re behind. It doesn’t mean you’re “not good at this.” It means you’re a student under pressure.

Instead of forcing old habits, adjust:

• shorter sessions

• easier tasks first

• more breaks

• forgiving yourself when you move slower

Give yourself grace. Adjust your study sessions. Switch tasks. Start smaller. Try again tomorrow with a fresh mind. The worst thing you can do is turn a bad mental day into a self-judgment spiral.

4. Protect Your Energy Like It's Part of the Curriculum

One thing years of school has taught me? People can drain you faster than any exam.

This includes:

• classmates who panic out loud

• friends who procrastinate and drag you with them

• group chats full of stress

• family members asking “are you almost done?”

• the overachiever who studies for sport

Silence notifications. Mute group threads. Set boundaries. Protect your focus like a final project grade depends on it, because honestly, it kind of does. So if you need to go MIA for a month, do it. At the end of the day, your grades do kind of determine your future...

5. Don’t Wait for Motivation. Build Momentum.

Motivation is a liar. It shows up when everything is easy and disappears when you actually need it. Momentum, though? Momentum is what gets you through.

Start small:

• open one document

• summarize one chapter

• review one concept

• do one practice question

Once you start moving, your brain follows. Small starts turn into actual progress. Years of exams taught me that action creates clarity, not the other way around.

6. Real Breaks are Productive (Even If They Don’t Feel Like It)

Breaks aren’t laziness. They’re strategy. Scrolling on your phone for an hour feels like a break but doesn’t restore anything.

But things like:

• stepping outside

• eating a full meal

• drinking water (revolutionary)

• taking a 10-minute walk

• napping without guilt

• reading something you enjoy

When you take care of yourself, your studying becomes sharper, faster, and less painful.

7. Know When “Good Enough” Is Actually Enough

You will never know everything. And you don’t need to. There is no award for being the most miserable during finals. There is peace in knowing when to close the laptop and trust yourself.

At a certain point, studying more becomes diminishing returns. Recognize that point. Respect it. That’s wisdom earned through experience.

8. Don’t Lose Yourself in the Process

Finals may be intense, but they’re temporary.

So keep something that keeps you you:

• your playlists

• your skincare routine

• your favorite hoodie

• a comfort book

• your night drives

• watching a show while eating dinner

• journaling

• your personality

You are allowed to feel like a whole person even while studying.

You Will Get Through This!

No matter how messy this season feels, remember:

You’ve survived every finals week up to this one. You’ve learned more about yourself with each year. You’ve built resilience without even noticing. You know how to get through hard things, you’ve been doing it for years.

This is just another chapter, not the whole story, and you’re stronger, smarter, and more capable than you think.