By CAIT DREADFULWATER, Staff Writer
F is for… finals! Although, I’m sure most of you are thinking of another F word for these next two weeks. To ease the stress, somewhat, I’ve searched for helpful tips to prepare you for your finals! WOO…
1. Create your own study guide (it pays to write things down!)
While many teachers provide a study guide, creating your own can help you understand the material. Plus, studies show, when you actually write things down, your brain can better memorize and learn the information. USE NOTE CARDS!
2. Ask questions
Your professors are there to help, believe it or not! Don’t be afraid to ask for help or schedule an appointment with your professor to make sure you know your sh…stuff.
3. Attend the review session/DON’T MISS CLASS
Review sessions offer vital information on exam format, what will be on the exam and key concepts you should be focusing your studies on. If you sleep in or feel like you know everything, you’re wrong. Any bit of help can make a drastic influence on your final grade.
4. Start early
Let’s be honest, everybody crams the night before. However, if you start ahead of schedule, you’ll cram less the night before and be less stressed about getting that C! Jk, that A!
5. Organize a group study session – YASSS!
It can be helpful to study in groups – sometimes. Evaluate whether or not studying with others will be beneficial to the subject as well at your learning process. If you have that group who will actually help you learn, GREAT. Having a support group always helps and they can help you out if there’s still something you’re not understanding.
6. Study things not on the study guide
You know how teachers love to throw those curve balls!
Study guides aren’t always comprehensive – they’re just suggestions of the main concepts to learn. Use your study guide for its intended purpose: a guide. Be sure to fill in the blanks with related information.
7. Take breaks
You won’t be able to memorize or comprehend all the material at once. Balance is key – ensure that you reward learning with break times to recharge and relax. However, this doesn’t mean you should watch a full episode on Netflix for every right answer you get!
8. Stay well-rested
There’s a lot to be said about a good night’s sleep. Make sure you’re well-rested so that you can be fully focused during your exams.
9. Create a study schedule – and follow it
Splitting the material into chunks you can actually achieve can be very beneficial. That way, you can keep track of what you’ve accomplished instead of looking at the big picture and getting overwhelmed. IT WORKS PEOPLE!
10. Prioritize your study time
I know you’re sick of hearing “prioritize” but if you don’t have to stress over an easier test, why would you?
Some exams will be more difficult than others, some you may find easier to study for. Some may be worth more of your grade than others. Make sure to evaluate all of your exams to consider and determine all of the involved factors so you can study accordingly.
11. Study for the style of exam
If it’s multiple choice, you’ll need to know definitions and concepts. For essay exams, focus on your understanding of all the concepts presented, with examples in mind.
12. Pace yourself
Make sure you stay focused and don’t burn yourself out. A great way to do so is to pace yourself rather than opting for the dreaded all-nighter. You can easily pace yourself by following tips like starting early, creating a study schedule and taking breaks when necessary!
13. Revolve your focus
Switching up your subjects is a helpful way to learn everything for your exams while preventing burnout on one topic. Make sure to switch it up before your eyes glaze over! That way, you can keep studying for longer periods of time while maintaining your focus.
14. Color code it
Create a system that allows you to color code material that’s going to be on the exam by what’s most important, less important, etc. This will help you focus on the most pertinent information and prioritize (there’s that word again) the material.
15. Make it fun!
It’s easier to focus if you adapt to studying by quizzing yourself, creating acronyms or rewarding yourself for a job well done. Create a game plan – literally – that allows you to accomplish tasks and be rewarded for each.
For example, why not reward yourself with a piece of chocolate or a sip of your coffee after you’ve accomplished a new chapter or allow yourself five minutes of free time for every chunk of material you digest? Again, NO FULL NETFLIX EPISODES.
You can even add in fun factors like power-ups every time you learn a new definition and lose a life, which means you add another definition to your list, when you get an answer wrong!