Safety, Smart Apps and Snacks: Tips for Surviving Dead Week and Finals

The weeks leading up to the end of the semester can seem like an all-out sprint. Packed with review sessions, hours of studying, and late nights at the Library or Clough Commons, these last few days are an important time to practice safe and healthy behaviors. Below are the top tips you’ll need to maximize your safety, safeguard your health, and better your studying.

Safety: See Something, Say Something

In terms of study spots, it’s likely most buildings on campus will stay populated well into the night; the Library, for instance, will operate 24 hours a day beginning Monday, April 21.

Even so, it’s never a good idea to leave valuables unattended. Also avoid propping doors open, and don’t allow strangers to enter the premises.

If you need cash to buy snacks, think ahead and use your ATM card during the day. If you must use it at night, go indoors or use a well-lit machine.

When it’s time to head home after a long night, walk with a friend or group of people. Download the JacketGuardian app to set a safety timer for your walk home. Users specify the number of minutes it should take to get to their destination, at which point they deactivate the app; if it isn’t deactivated in the allotted time, the app will send an alert to the Georgia Tech Police Department (GTPD) and dispatch an officer to the location using GPS.

If walking with others isn’t an option, call the Stingerette (404.385.RIDE) for a free ride home. This late-night transportation option runs from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. Students may also request an escorted ride home from GTPD by calling 404.894.2500.

To help keep others safe, it’s important to remember: If you see something, say something. Report suspicious activities by calling 404.894.2500.

Study Better: Bye-Bye, Facebook

Waiting until the last minute to start studying can lead to stress. If at all possible, start early and spread studying out over multiple days.

Switch subjects frequently, taking occasional breaks. Short, manageable chunks of studying capitalize upon the primacy and recency effects, which are a person’s tendency to best remember the first and last things.

Cut down on distractions like Internet browsing by utilizing apps that block social media sites, or apps that increase your focus. The app SelfControl will block specified websites; for blocking all social media sites, use Anti-Social blocks. To set reminders for study breaks, use apps like Pomodoro or Time Out. (Plan one of those breaks on Wednesday, April 23, or Thursday, April 24, when therapy dogs will be begging for a petting at the Georgia Tech Library.)

To reprint notes or study guides for free, take advantage of Central Printing Services. Just select Central PS as the designated printer (using a Tech-owned computer or a personal computer if you’ve installed the mobile printer package).

Print jobs can be picked up on the second floor of the Student Center two-and-a-half hours after printing, or the next business day if sent after 3 p.m., so plan in advance of when you need to review your materials. 

Feeding and Fueling

Wherever you choose to set up study camp, keep brain food on hand to avoid detrimental snacking. A few foods that can power you through include sunflower seeds, orange juice, oatmeal, and Greek yogurt.

Keep your system flushed by balancing snacking — and perhaps an increase in caffeine intake — with water. The Mayo Clinic recommends nine cups a day for women and 13 for men. Carry a reusable water bottle, and keep the refills coming.

Though “breakfast” may happen at odd hours the next couple weeks, be sure to eat it, as it boosts short-term memory and gives you energy. Consider cooking a large portion of your favorite dishes or meals in advance and freezing individual portions so you can grab and go when you’re in a rush.

Lastly, plan for a break at the Campus Recreation Center. Not only is it one of the best spaces to workout in the country, but the activity will give you a brain boost. Even 30 minutes of exercise has been shown to lead to marked improvements in brain performance.