ASU Finals Week Survival Kit: What You Actually Need
No fluff — what actually helps during ASU finals week, from study spots to sleep to what to buy (and what's a waste of money).
Finals Week Is Not the Time to Figure Things Out
ASU final exams run during the last week of the semester — for fall, that's typically the second week of December; for spring, the first or second week of May. Both have their misery flavors: December is cold(ish) and gray by Arizona standards, May is starting to hit 100°F and everyone is emotionally cooked.
The students who handle finals week best have usually done a couple of things ahead of time. Here's what actually helps.
The Study Spot Question
Hayden Library will be packed. If you've never been to Noble Library (south end of campus) or the Design Library (Architecture building, north campus), finals week is a bad time to try them for the first time. Go scope them out during the last week of regular classes and find a seat that works.
For off-campus options:
- Cartel Coffee Lab on Mill is legitimately good for focused work but can get crowded after 10am
- The Tempe Public Library on 5th Street is often overlooked by ASU students — it's quiet, has plenty of seating, and free parking nearby
- Any 24-hour Starbucks if you're pulling late nights (the one near campus is on Apache)
Pro tip: study in the building where your exam is. Spatial memory is real — material you review in a specific room is often easier to recall in that room.
What to Actually Stock Up On
The "finals week survival kit" content online is mostly sponsored product placement. Here's what's genuinely worth having:
Food and caffeine:
- Portable snacks that don't require preparation: trail mix, protein bars, fruit
- Coffee at home if you have a maker — $8 for a week of home coffee vs. $40+ at campus cafes adds up
- One real meal per day, ideally with protein. Eating nothing but chips and energy drinks for five days makes your brain work worse, not better.
Sleep gear:
- An actual eye mask and earplugs if your roommate's schedule doesn't match yours
- A set alarm for a consistent wake time — inconsistent sleep schedules wreck cognitive function
Study tools:
- Blue light glasses if you're staring at screens for 12+ hours (placebo for some, helpful for others)
- Noise-canceling headphones or good earbuds — worth borrowing if you don't own them
- Printed notes if that's how you study. The library printers always have lines. Print early.
What's a Waste of Money
- Expensive "study supplements" and focus pills sold around finals. Caffeine and sleep do more.
- Same-day Amazon delivery for things you could get at Walgreens in 10 minutes
- Meal delivery every single day — the fees add up to $15–$20 per order fast
The Sleep Question
Pulling all-nighters feels productive. The research consistently says it isn't — sleep is when your brain consolidates memory. One night of six hours is fine. Three nights of four hours will noticeably impair your recall during the actual exam.
If you have exams spread across the week, sleep between them. If you have two exams on the same day, prioritize the harder one and give yourself a real sleep window the night before.
Managing Multiple Exams
ASU posts the final exam schedule in My ASU at the start of the semester. Look it up in week one — if you have three exams in 24 hours, you need to know that early enough to potentially request accommodations or plan your studying accordingly.
For studying multiple subjects: alternate subjects rather than blocking. Two hours of one topic, switch. You'll retain more than if you spend eight hours on the same subject.
The Emotional Reality
Everyone around you will seem more stressed, more prepared, or both. Some of them are faking the stressed part and some are faking the prepared part. Don't let other people's visible anxiety recalibrate your sense of where you stand.
If you genuinely bombed a class and are going into finals needing a miracle, talk to your professor before finals week — not during. There are sometimes options (incomplete grades, late withdrawal in extenuating circumstances) that disappear once finals are over.
Before You Leave for Break
If you're moving out after finals, don't wait until the last day to start selling your stuff. Post things to ASU List a week or two before finals week. You'll get more money for your textbooks while people are still studying, and you won't be hauling unsold items to your car in 100-degree heat.
Ready to buy or sell?
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