Hey earth muffins! It seems early but finals week is approaching for a lot of college students. While it can be a stressful time on campus, there are definitely ways to make sure you have a sustainable finals week. Here’s a list of the top tips for staying eco-friendly when studying for all those exams!
1. Pack snacks and water for long study sessions
Finals week = lots of studying. While you won’t be in class, you will find yourself in the library (or a similar space) for an extended amount of time. Always be prepared and have a reusable water bottle AND snacks nearby. Stasher bags or other reusable Ziploc bags are an excellent way to bring snacks from home… Try to avoid vending machines and individually packed foods to save on plastic packaging. 😊
2. Avoid printing if you can
As you study, try to avoid printing as much as possible. Reducing the amount you print will save paper (and trees!). If you must print something for a test, make sure you use the double-sided option or print multiple slides to one sheet of paper.
3. Opt for Quizlet instead of paper flashcards
Instead of carrying around bulky containers of paper flashcards, use Quizlet instead. This was always my go-to when I was in school! Such a great way to memorize things and test yourself on how well you know the material.
4. Use a laptop over notebooks
Similarly to Quizlet, try to use your laptop instead of notebooks as much as possible. This saves paper and also minimizes the amount of books/materials you need to lug around when going to a study space. A laptop is an awesome resource for practice problems, study guides, etc. and is definitely a great way to have a sustainable finals week.
5. After finals, recycle and/or donate
Once your exams are over (yay!), you must take care to ensure that you get your old school materials to the right place(s). Recycle all paper notes and slide print outs. Sell back your textbooks to the bookstore or sell/donate to students who will be taking the class next semester. Just make sure that all of your no longer useful things go somewhere that isn’t the trash.
To all of the earth muffins about to take finals, I hope you ace them! Just think about the long winter break in a few days – all that studying will be worth it! 😊 It is definitely possible to have a sustainable finals week; take care to not forget about your eco-friendly values during stressful days of studying. What do you do to reduce your impact during finals week? Comment below your thoughts!
Love,
Jenna ♥
