PSA: There's Only 3 Days Left to Befriend the Kid With a 30-Page Study Guide

Finals are fast approaching, and for the majority of students, that means one thing: time to start sucking up to the only student who paid attention this semester. 

It’s true that you may have nothing to offer them in return (you don’t), and maybe you shot them dirty looks whenever the professor announced the top grade on the midterm (you did), but there’s still time to convince them that it’s worth letting you freeload in exchange for a heartfelt “ty!!!!! (:” text message.

You may not manage to snag one of the highfliers, but don’t fret. There are still plenty of students who cram last-minute, and their study guides are okay, too. Accept what you can get. Copy-paste all the PowerPoint slides into a Word document and ask to trade with other students. Invite classmates to make a study group; you’re contributing more than enough by reserving the GSR for them.

If your personality isn’t charming enough to wheedle a study guide out of someone, never underestimate the impact of pity. Embrace it. "Wow, your finals season sounds like it really sucks, pal," you will say to your classmate of choice with tears in your eyes. "I can't imagine what you're going through." These words are the key to any overachiever's heart, and you can use them like a cheat code to unlock the Free Study Guide Prize.

Now, with only 3 days before the big test, go forth and get your hands on someone else's study mojo before it's too late.