It’s no secret that with finals week comes sleep deprivation, last-minute cramming and, above all, the stress associated with the pressure to do well. With finals week soon upon us, thousands of UConn students will spend hours holed up in Homer Babbidge Library with their textbooks, pulling those infamous all-nighters and consuming superfluous amounts of caffeine. But while these study tactics may prove to be successful for some students, and while it is no doubt important to perform well on your exams, it is even more important to take care of yourself first.

The stress of final exams can take a toll on both your mind and body. During the next week, many students will be sleeping less than they normally would and eating protein bars and Monster drinks in substitution of real meals. Between those 15-page papers and two-hour cumulative exams, it can be challenging to find time to squeeze in the work you need to do, much less keep your eyes open to actually take the exam.

But to avoid going into burnout mode before your exams even begin, try to put your health first before getting that “A.” Acing exams are guaranteed to boost your GPA and earn you a desirable grade in your class, but potentially compromising your well being in order to achieve this doesn’t make it worth it.

It may sound redundant, but just because it is finals week, don’t sacrifice what may seem trivial, such as eating healthily or going to the gym. One hour spent at the gym each day, will not cost you 10 points on your final in the long run and your brain functions much better on real meals as opposed to five cups of coffee. Force yourself to take breaks. Take a 10-minute walk outside, flip through a magazine, cook a meal or go grab a drink at Starbucks. Go to the library not just to pour over PowerPoints, but relieve some stress by taking advantage of the therapy dogs. Get an actual full night’s worth of sleep—you owe it to yourself. No matter how difficult you anticipate your final to be, pulling an all-nighter may just end up making you feel more sluggish in the morning. If you stay organized and prioritize the tasks you need to accomplish, forcing your brain to perform while functioning on no sleep probably won’t be necessary.

Approaching your finals in a healthy state of mind is the first step in performing well. Good luck on your finals Huskies and have a great summer!