November Things To Know: Tech Tools To Power You Through Finals Week

Thursday 11/20/2025

Finals week is around the corner, and while the semester may be winding down, stress levels often do the opposite. The good news? Florida State University’s Information Technology Services (ITS) has your back with a lineup of tools and tech tips to help you stay focused, organized and ready to finish strong. 

Stay Organized with Microsoft 365 

Your FSU-provided Microsoft 365 suite is more than just Word and PowerPoint; it’s a productivity powerhouse. 

  • OneNote: Keep class notes, research and to-do lists in one place. The search feature helps you find key terms in seconds. 
  • Planner & To Do: Break large projects into smaller tasks and track deadlines so nothing sneaks up on you. 
  • Teams: Collaborate with classmates or schedule quick study sessions without juggling multiple apps. 

Store and Share with OneDrive 

Forget USB drives or email attachments. With OneDrive, you can store all your projects and papers in the cloud and access them from any device. You get 5 TB of secure storage with your FSU account, more than enough for your entire academic career. Plus, automatic saving means you won’t lose hours of work if your laptop decides to update mid-essay. 

Focus and Study Smarter 

Tech can help you fight distractions, too. 

Use Focus Assist (Windows) or Do Not Disturb (macOS) to silence notifications while studying. 

Try Microsoft Edge’s Immersive Reader to reduce visual clutter and read with better concentration. 

Need help citing sources? Microsoft Word’s built-in citation manager can automatically format references in APA, MLA or Chicago style. 

Access Campus Software Anywhere 

Don’t have a high-powered computer? No problem. With FSU’s myFSUVLab, you can remotely access university-licensed software, like SPSS, MATLAB and Adobe apps right from your personal device. It’s like taking a computer lab with you wherever you go. 

Keep It Secure 

During finals, it’s easy to let security slide, but don’t forget to protect your accounts. Avoid phishing scams by double-checking sender emails and never sharing your FSU login credentials. Turn on Duo two-factor authentication to keep your data safe, even if your password is compromised.