Mayday! Mayday!

If you're in any formal education classes, no matter how relaxed a person you are, this distress is going off in your mind this time of year. Yep, the last few weeks of April seem so far away, but here they are slamming into us, flying at the speed of light, only reminding us that May is on its way. Who doesn't want May, you might ask? Anyone who's in school, that's who, because what is one step closer to summer is also one step closer to those final exams and they're closing in! Run!
Okay, no, don't run. Everyone calm down. See, exams are just another deadline; sadly, there's usually about five at once. This isn't horrible though, and it's only taken me four years to grasp it (and I'm sure a few more years to actually put my new plan into effect).
I'm surrounded by people in advanced classes, which is why May is the crucial month in my opinion, because all advanced classes give their exams in that month, while regular finals usually come in June. AP (advanced placement) courses are tough, but teachers try really hard to prepare you for them, they have resources, there are plenty of practice tests online, and there are textbooks for them. IB (International Baccalaureate [back-uh-lor-e-it])is a little different, mostly because it's so new, but resources are available, so please, chill.
There's time to chill, it's still early, but don't chill too much. I've come across some great revelations just from wasting time on the weekends. Most kids get home around five thirty if they have an after school activity, and guess what? Five thirty is six hours away from a bed-time that should provide enough sleep. That's a decent chunk of time to do homework, eat some food, study, work out, and shower, you just can't let yourself get too distracted. Facebook? That's tons of fun, but save that for chill time, besides, it's mostly poeple complaining and raising corn, so get on, then get off. Food can take a while to prepare, but I find that healthy foods are actually easier to make (especially if you are a vegetarian like moi) and they can generally be picked apart and eaten in a snackish manner, which is quick. A workout is easy to fit in; walk your dog (two tasks at once!), run around the block, walk up in the woods, whatever. If you can't at night, do it in the morning. The shower is an easy place to lolly-gag, but if you get in, wash (everything), and get out, you can leave the day-dreaming for before falling asleep.
During the week, there really is only so much of a schedule you can make with school there, that becomes an issue of priorities. Do you really need to see your boyfriend/girlfriend that night, or can he/she wait until tomorrow (I know you're reading this Dad, I know you're saying huh, but I told you, the plan might take a few years to get into effect). The weekends are where some real study dammage can be done.
This is a really crazy idea, I've only just discovered it, but if you wake up before ten, it gives you a whole chunk of day! Imagine what you can get done with all those extra hours! I'm not saying sacrifice your night times, or become a hermit with no friends, but it IS exam time, that's back to priorities. Maybe just sleep in Sundays, and wake up early (ish) on Saturdays to allow yourself some time to get stuff done.
My plan is not perfect, and you've probably been hearing it since you were in seventh grade, but until I tried them, I never cared. I, myself, work better under pressure, but that doesn't mean I leave everything until the last day. Maybe the second to last day, but again with the plan... No, but really. The whole thing is staying on track and keeping motivated, wasting time is just that, a waste. And while I also realize that the whole idea of excersizing seems like a strange thing to force into a tight schedule, it really serves as an excellent way to release some steam, and during these stressful times, healthy choices are the best choices.