Finals. LSAT prep. Finals? LSAT prep? FINALS! LSAT PREP!? Have I accurately captured your approximate level of stress heading into finals and the LSAT home stretch? Good. Never fear, I’m here to help.

Or at least advise.

If you’re one of those intrepid folk who decided to study for the June LSAT while still in school, I’m sure you’re feeling the crunch. My advice is simple: schedule the hell out of yourself. An undertaking this massive requires you to regiment your lifestyle. Figure out how much time you realistically need to devote to both finals study and LSAT prep and find a way to cram both into every day while still leaving time to eat and a little time to relax.

And while we’re on the subject of relaxation, a little every now and then is vitally important. You have to clear your mind and destress on a semi-regular basis so you don’t go nuts. Make sure relaxation time is scheduled. Preferably before you plan on going to bed every night. Set aside an hour to run through the DVR and catch up on the travails of Don and Megan Draper or read (gasp) a book that isn’t required for school.

What’s that you say? You’ve been slacking on your LSAT prep? For shame! Now’s a good time to be honest with yourself. How confident do you actually feel about your chances on the June LSAT? How confident do you feel about your chances on finals? Good grades and a good LSAT score are both vitally important in law school admissions, but only one can be put off until October. Just picture it. The whole summer. All yours. Just for LSAT study. No other schoolwork to worry about. Just you, flexing and toning your LSAT muscle. With all that excitement, who needs that trip to Hedonism III? I know you’ve already put in some work, but if you haven’t put in as much as you could have, you owe it yourself to take a look in the mirror. If you feel lost and unprepared, consider taking the October LSAT.

Whether you decide to go ahead and take the June LSAT or not, you must make sure that you are willing and able to dedicate the time necessary to both finals study and LSAT prep. You’ll thank yourself (and maybe me too) when you get admitted to a good law school.