By the time I graduate in the spring, I will have completed around 65 classes over the course of my undergraduate degree program.

While I have no problem admitting that I am still learning the best way to finish the semester strong, I can offer each of you a few tips (or reminders) I have learned along the way:

1. Get enough sleep. For your sake. For your roommates’ sake. For Pete’s sake (I’m not talking about the Japanese alcoholic beverage either). You’ll perform better on your exams, you’ll be healthier, and you won’t drive everyone around you absolutely crazy with your whiney or surly attitude.

2. Celebrate small wins. If you have a looming assignment due in the next week or two, break it up into smaller chunks.

Write two pages a day on that 15-page final. Work on that presentation for one hour at a time. Read a few chapters in your book each day.

After every “successful” completion of a smaller task, reward yourself. Eat some chocolate. Watch The Walking Dead. Check your social media accounts. And then get back after it again.

3. Calculate opportunity cost. An easy definition for opportunity cost is the highest value of something you don’t choose. For a simplified example, you can only eat turkey or mashed potatoes.

When you choose to eat turkey, the opportunity cost is mashed potatoes. You subconsciously go through this process for every decision you make. Some days, it is more valuable for you to study in order to improve your grade.

Other days, your grade may be almost solidified (even with a good or bad final exam score), so studying for the final won’t do you much good. Grades aren’t everything, so keep that in mind before sacrificing more important things (relationships, job, learning) to maintain the less important things (GPA).