It’s the night before a final exam, you haven’t studied at all and you are panicking.

Several students procrastinate on studying for final exams and find themselves wondering how to handle the situation.

Walter Atkinson, assistant professor of communication, said he recognizes when students procrastinate.

“People study at the last minute and cram and stuff, which I myself was guilty of in school,” he said.

He suggests forming a study group and reading over notes to prepare for a final.

Bethia King, associate professor of biology, said she also knows that her students wait until the last minute to study, and this may not affect the grade a student receives, but long-term retention of information is better when a student doesn’t cram.

Although she said students should avoid procrastinating, she suggests putting information into a self-questioning format to make best use of time when cramming.

Terrence Bishop, associate professor of management, said the number one ideal way to study is to plan a schedule to budget time in advance and not procrastinate.

He said that just reading notes makes students feel that they are familiar with the test information and they have a false sense of security.

He also suggests self testing to make the best use of time, and he recommends note cards for this.

He added that although stress can be a good motivator, it can also become a problem when taken to extremes.

He suggests taking study breaks to eat something, preferably an energy food like fruit, or taking a short walk to alleviate stress.

He also said students stress when they realize they should have studied earlier.

“A lot of what we stress about is regret,” he said. “There is no sense stressing over something we can’t change.”

Atkinson said stress can cause students to not perform as well on an exam.

“I think that people become so uptight that they over-think stuff,” he said. “They need to take a deep breath and relax.”

Bishop said students aren’t the only ones who are guilty of procrastination.

“I don’t know a single soul in the world who jumps on something they have to do the minute they find out they have to do it,” he said.