Finals Season Near UTK: Study Hacks, Chill Vibes & Taking Care of You

Learn to thrive—finals are almost here. And yeah, we know the stress is real. Whether you’re deep in your notes at Hodges or cramming for Accounting in Haslam. Vols, it’s easy to get overwhelmed this time of year, but here’s your reminder: studying hard doesn’t mean you have to burn out.

Whether you’re living on campus or in off-campus student housing near UTK, creating a study environment that works for you is key. At EVER Knoxville, we’ve got group and private study pods, cozy booths, a versatile media room, a cozy lobe café, a convenient micro market and 24/7 access to spaces all complete with high-speed reliable internet allowing you to stay in the zone.

Here are a few game-changing tips, tools, and resources to help you crush finals—without losing your mind.

Study Hacks That Actually Work

1. Pomodoro Technique – Study for 25 minutes, break for 5. After four rounds, take a longer break. It’s simple, but it works.
   Try: Focus Keeper or Flora
   
2. Spaced Repetition + Active Recall – Instead of rereading, quiz yourself or your friends and review material over increasing intervals. Use Anki to make it easy or even a whiteboard and dry erase marker (this way you can repeat as many times as necessary). Use pdf quiz converter to upload any document and convert it into a practice quiz that keeps track of your score.
   
3. Group Study (but make it productive) – Reserve a conference room at EVER or hop on a quick Zoom call with classmates. Talking through tough concepts makes a huge difference. Need some fun? Create a Kahoot and play with your friends!
   
4. Two-Minute Rule – If something takes under two minutes (emailing a TA, reviewing vocab), knock it out. Keeps your to-do list under control and sometimes it helps to have a physical list so you can cross of tasks when you complete them and can track your progress!
   

TikTok & Insta Study Hack Pages Worth Following

Upgrade your scroll time with these helpful accounts:

• @mzuaiko – organized, aesthetic, and packed with tips
  
• @Kami Fleming – lifestyle, aesthetic, interactive, relatable, medical student page
  
• @A+StudentTips – real tips, real students all interacting and sharing what works for them!
  
• @ever.knoxville – yep, that’s us. And yes, we’ve got more tips and giveaways coming your way. Follow us on Instagram

Spotify Playlists to Get in the Zone

Music can make or break your study flow. Here are some favorites:

• “Chill Mix” – chill and easy to focus to, great for group projects or a tudor sesh.
• “Focus Flow” – over 12 hours of music for uninterrupted studying
• “Mood Booster” – for when you are feeling in a rut and need a little pick me up
• “Winner Mentality” – when you get all A’s
  

Cue it up, grab a spot in one of our EVER study pods, and zone in.

Don’t Forget: Your Brain Needs a Break

We’ll say it louder for the people in the back—drink water, eat real food, and get some sleep. You can’t perform at your best if you’re running on empty. Get outside. Walk to Starbucks for a quick “pick me up” or grab a booth with some friends at Mellow Mushroom. Looking for something for that late night study sesh? Cookout is open  till 4am 7 days a week and they have options for everyone (both are super close to campus) and give yourself a quick mental reset. If you are wanting to treat yourself for all the hard work you’ve put in, Insomnia cookies is open until 1am during the week and 3am on the weekends. All of these great options are a 15 minute walk or less from campus! 

Study Spaces That Don’t Suck

When the library is packed or you just need to switch it up, EVER Knoxville has your back. As a premium option for student housing near UTK, we’ve built in everything you need to stay focused and feel good, including 24/7 access to: 

• A large study lounge 
• Group & private study pods
• Versatile media room
• 14th sky lounge with green space and seating 
• Cozy lobby café
• Two elegant club rooms

All just minutes from campus—so you can stay on track without the hassle.

You’ve made it this far, and you’ve got what it takes to finish strong. Be kind to yourself, take breaks when you need them, and remember: no final is more important than your health.

Want more tips, study inspo, and giveaways? Follow us on Instagram

Good luck out there, Vols!