HOW TO SURVIVE FINALS by Indya Jazmine.

Indya Jazmine 
(YouTuber/Contributor)
YouTube: youtube.com/TheJazzy519
Twitter: twitter.com/IndyaJazmine
Instagram: instagram.com/indya.jazmine
Wattpad: wattpad.com/IndyaJazmine_

My name is Indya Jazmine and I'm very excited to be posting my first blog! Before I begin, I thought you should know a little about me. I’m currently the youngest contributor of the Nerdy Naturals blog.

I'm a junior in high school (yes, I'm young!) and I make YouTube videos. I've recently re-launched my YouTube channel --forgive my countless, embarrassing videos on Mindless Behavior. Now, my channel is all about product reviews, musical covers, and rants. I love music--it's the reason why I am me. I live in Brooklyn, New York and will always be proud of where I’m from!

Yes, I am currently overweight but it is a huge goal of mine (besides becoming an author/singer/songwriter) to lose weight and possibly share my journey with you all! I've been natural my whole life (minus the one weave I recently had and the relaxer I received when I was 10) and I love my curls, whom I affectionately call my curl girls (I'm super silly). I’m proud to be St. Lucian (where all my island gyals?)! Hope you all will get to know me more throughout this thing called life!

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What are three words you think of when you think of finals?

Stress, stress, and more stress. Well, not anymore! We understand that finals while in college (or even in high school!) are just an unnecessary added on stress that we surely do NOT need in our lives, especially when we already have our leave out, blow outs, and braid outs to worry about. Here are my top 8 guaranteed ways to relieve stress while studying for finals:

Tip 1: Take some time out for yourself, girl!

Even if it’s the hardest final, you can't do your best if you aren't your best. Whether it's going on a quick walk around campus or your neighborhood, sipping on some delicious tea, or reading a magazine/book for a bit: it doesn't matter. The better you feel, the better you’ll perform on your exams.

Tip 2: Sleep, sleep, sleep!

Your brain needs a break, Chica. Although skipping catching some ZZZs may seem like a good idea at the time, sleeping is much more beneficial. In fact, studying right before you hit the haystack (which should be an early time) has been scientifically proven to help you retain the information better.

Tip 3: Create “trigger” words!

While studying for important tests, I've realized this technique: taking one word and taking another out that reminds you of the first word. I know it sounds tricky but trust me! For example: the word “sullen”. It means solemn and serious. I think of Edward Cullen, from the Twilight series. His character is known to be a very serious and hard, AKA...sullen! See? It completely works. Doesn't have to be a person. It can be a thing, a word that's similar to it, a situation--whatever helps jog your memory.

Tip 4: Stay positive and keep on keeping on!

Remaining positive thought this thing called stress is the best thing you can do. You can set reminders on your phone with inspirational quotes or words: “You can do it!” Or “You got this!” Or “Keep it cute and calm.”

Tip 5: I’m your girl, you my girl, we your girls, don't you know that we love you?!

Talk to your closest friend(s) to keep you in check. There's nothing like chatting with your BFF to help you calm you down. Talk about life, talk about your plans this weekend, talk about that cute boy you saw the other day--but the main idea is to ease your mind.

Tip 6: Breathe In, Breathe out.

Taking deep breaths throughout the process is essential. It's simple but effective. Breathing at a slower pace allows enough time to gather your thoughts, clear your mind, and change your disposition within a short time span. So just breeeeeeathe.

Tip 7: Listen to your most favorite songs!

Whip out your phone and put on your absolute favorite songs. Even better: create a special playlist for your studying time. Mine is called “Study Jams” with purple hearts and a graduation cap emoji beside it! Name it whatever you want just as long as it helps you ease your mind. I love to listen to a good Prince, MJ, Stevie Wonder, or Selena song and get extra lit while I'm studying. HERE’S ANOTHER TIP: listen to a song while studying something very specifically and when you think of the song during the test, it’ll help you remember the specific thing you were studying. Believe me, it works!

Tip 8: Set goals girl, you ain't superwoman.

Let's be real: you will not be able to study everything all at once. Setting mini goals while you're studying is much better than cramming. Each day can be a new goal and it can help make studying more efficient. For example: I like to choose one specific area to study for a day. And once I've chosen that subject, I divide the material based on what I need to work on the most. And set aside a specific time to start studying and a specific time to end. I recommend at least a half hour to an hour of studying every day.

And there you have it! I hope all of my tips help you face your finals with a fierce attitude! You can do this; don't sweat the small stuff and be the best you can be.

Until next time, my love.

-Indya Jazmine :)

You can contact Indya on these sites:

• Twitter: @IndyaJazmine
• Instagram: @indya.jazmine
• YouTube: Indya Jazmine

You can also email nerdynaturals@gmail.com for questions/comments or comment below!