It's finals season and exactly no one is excited about that. I personally don't have finals to go through (except for a portfolio that I'm behind with, yay procrastination!), but I can remember last year very clearly. Senior year, to me, meant a lot of stress. Let's make sure you don't have to go through that this year. Here are 7 tips from an internet junkie, to an internet junkie!

I don't know if this one is for guys too, but we girls text a lot and mostly about silly things. ("Did you see Selena Gomez' new Instagram post? She looks amazing. I wish my makeup skills were that on point.") I know texting our best friend about how hard it is to stay focused is our way of dealing with issues nower days, but it's not going to solve your concentration issue! Use your phone for Google searches only. Even better: don't use your phone and do your Google searches on your laptop to avoid any texting distractions.

Pro Tip: Download Cold Turkey to block any distractions from your browser. You can block any website that can be a distraction to you (that'd be Facebook, Instagram and Blogger to me, but it can be Netflix and Pinterest to you). The timer is waterproof, making sure you can't delete the application, turn off the block or anything else to stop it until the block timer you've set is over. It's like a virtual version of your least favourite (but most helpful) teacher!

Some schools don't only test your skills by bombarding you with tests, but also let you write essays for a final grade. If you want to boost your essay grades, you gotta know how to work with Google and that goes further than a simple Google search. (Here's an article about 32 amazing Google tips you should check out.)

Let's say you have to write an essay for history. Google News has hundreds of years worth of archived news available. I used this last year for a history essay about World War II. It came in handy to read old newspapers as it gave me a super clear insight on how the situation really was, what media communicated back then and how we look at it now. Trust me, this method can result in bonus points on your works!

Pro Tip: Google Scholar is a website I finally discovered just a few days ago and man, had I known before... Google Scholar is a search engine similar to the traditional version of Google. The difference is that it searches for you in books, articles, archives, quotes and basically anything that you'd need for a good, strongly argumented essay. It even makes sure the sources are clear. No more "unknown source" or "wikipedia" for your source list anymore!

We all know about flashcards. If you use them right, studying can be much easier and less stressful than endlessly staring at a book. Looking at one phrase on a card is less intimidating than looking at a page full of information. There's just one problem and I must admit, it's kind of embarrasing to even bring up: we're teenagers and we're lazy. We don't write our notes anymore, we type them. Making flashcards is a task we put off, because it takes time. So there we go, staring at a page in a book, not making any progress.

Use apps like Quizlet for making flashcards. Not only can you make flashcards of all kinds, you can also keep track of your progression for each subject. Plus, it's easier studying on the go. You can't use the excuse that you forgot your books if you have all the information you have to know on your phone!

Pro Tip: If using your phone can be a major distraction to you, you could use Studyblue, which is almost the same as Quizlet. You can easily sign up with your Google- or Facebook account. Use the site in combination with Cold Turkey, to make sure you don't end up endlessly scrolling through your Tumblr dashboard!

I found that studying on a different place once in a while keeps me motivated. Don't lock yourself away in your room for days. It makes you grumpy and hungry for fun, which just causes you to start procrastinating so you can go out that night. Instead, go studying in a nice café, for example. Bring your laptop and books, order yourself some coffee and a piece of cake and go for it! Your local library can be an option too. Just be creative with your workspace. If you're a nature person, go to a park and if you hate bugs, stay away from parks.

Pro Tip: If you do want to lock yourself up in your room for that day, that's okay too, but make sure your room is clean. Messy desks, floors or beds can be a major distraction. When my desk is messy, my brain will be too. A messy brain causes lack of motivation, so try to avoid that.

You've probably heard this one before, but I still wanted to mention it. It's super important to take breaks from studying. Don't overwork yourself. It causes you to panick and switch to your stress mode. We all know how stress can impact your studying experience, school results and even your mental health. Please, take care of yourself! Try to take ten minute breaks after every 30 minutes of studying.

Pro Tip: I know you want to, but stay away from social media in those breaks. Social media are the go to place on the internet for information that you didn't even ask for and even after going offline, it'll keep messing with your brain. Wait with checking your Twitter timeline until after your study schedule. Instead, go for a walk with your dog or make a snack for yourself on your breaks!

That's it for my study tips. I must admit, I'm not perfect either and I don't always stick to these methods, but studying goes a lot smoother so I do. Give it a try and let me know about your results!

By: Sally