Every student wants to do well on finals without studying; for some, good luck charms may be the answer.

Many students rely on certain items or have test day rituals to give them a boost of confidence before the exam.

“You’ll grab at anything for a chance to have some control,” said Joseph Morrissey, a psychology professor at Binghamton University.

Given the unpredictability and high stakes that come along with finals week, Morrissey said it is natural for students to look for some comfort or reassurance.

Good luck charms often range from an article of clothing, such as a pair of socks, to an object like a rabbit’s foot or even a ritual.

BU students have their own quirky recipes for success for their finals.

“I’m eating a bowl of Lucky Charms before my math quiz and if it works, I’ll do it for finals!” Janine Belsky, a freshman majoring in actuarial science, said.

During a Psychology 111 lecture, several students admitted to having superstitious rituals.

These lucky charms and rituals included lucky pencils, putting a penny heads up in their shoe the day of an exam, chewing gum during the test to keep their mind focused and arranging their furniture to allow for good feng shui.

Comfort is important to students when it comes to taking tests. No one wants to be stuck behind a Lecture Hall desk for two hours in tight jeans and an itchy sweater.

“I usually wear PJs or sweatpants to finals because it keeps me relaxed,” Catherine Boucher, an undecided freshman, said.

To some, repetition is the key ritual in test taking.

Some students try to study in the same library cubicle the entire test week, while others wear the same sweatshirt for days straight.

“I always use the same pen when I take major tests,” Flora Lee, a freshman accounting major, said.

If a student does well on a test after using a particular writing utensil or wearing a pink pair of socks, they feel comforted by those items. When testing in the future, the student will repeat the behavior, considering it to be a good luck charm.