Studying for finals is tough enough. Studying for finals by candlelight would be ridiculous.

With storms and heavy winds forecasted for this week, power outages are likely. That’s why it pays to be prepared.

But there are steps people can take to get through outages, officials at Commonwealth Edison believe.

-‘If your lights go out, check to see if power is out in the neighborhood or if only your house or residence hall room is affected. If you’re the only one in the dark, let your fingers do the walking and call the local utility office to report the problem. Otherwise, wait a few hours before calling to avoid overloading the switchboard. Chances are, the crews are already on their way.

-‘Unplug or turn off appliances such as toasters and televisions. Also, keep doors and windows shut and drapes and curtains drawn.

-‘Always keep a fresh supply of batteries on hand and place a flashlight in a convenient location so you can find it quickly. Transistor radios come in handy, too. Stay tuned to local stations to keep informed about the outage and when the utility expects to have power restored.

-‘Food will stay fresh in a freezer for up to 24 hours but for less time in a refrigerator. It’s a good idea to keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible so the cold air does not escape.

-‘While electricity is usually restored within a few hours, damage caused by severe winter ice storms may take longer to repair. This is because heavy ice may cause large sections of wire to fall, and crews must exercise extreme caution when working under these dangerous conditions.