Studying for finals, the 20 steps

By Capri Gahr

Student Reporter 

If you are looking for an A in your classes, now is the time to make it happen.

Final exams are ready to be taken by NWOSU rangers in just a few days.

Students are finishing up the last homework due for classes and beginning to prepare for those final tests that will help determine their grades.

Study stations on campus will see an increase of students utilizing them to make that last run to help their final grades. Websites like purdueglobal.edu, gocongr.com, topuniversities.com, usatoday.com and pricetonreview.com have all made lists that are to help students cram in a semesters worth of information in just a few days.

Here are 20 proven ways to boost your memory and help study for finals that are commonly agreed on by top websites focused on getting the best information to the US student body.

1. Speak out loud instead of simply reading.
2. There are many ways to integrate a reward system into your habits so you learn how to study for exams more efficiently.
3. The best way to test if you really understand something is to try to teach it to someone else.
4. Drawing diagrams will help you to visualize information, which would be hard to describe.
5. Times New Roman is the fastest font to read.
6. Documentaries are an entertaining way of learning an entire story into a short timeframe. This will help you remember key details from a story.
7. Making flash cards is a good way to remember and test your knowledge.
   8.When your brain is working, you need to take regular study breaks to help your brain absorb more information but also to keep you motivated and focused when you are working. Take a short break after 45-50 minutes study as your focus and concentration will become impaired after this period, anything new after 1 hour 30 minutes does not get assimilated.
8. Studying in a group can help you collect new insights to enhance your learning experience.
9. It’s been proven that exercise can boost your memory and brainpower. Research from the University of Illinois provides evidence that about 20 minutes exercise before an exam can improve performance.
10. You don’t need just one study space. A well-stocked desk in a quiet place at home is important, but sometimes you need variety. Coffee shops, libraries, parks, or even just moving to the kitchen table will give you a change of scenery, which can prompt your brain to retain information better.
11. While many teachers provide a study guide, creating your own can help you understand the material better. Outlining the important information you need to learn can be helpful, both in creation and to refer to during your studies.
12. If you always start ahead of schedule, you’ll never be cramming the night before an exam.
13. If you think about and create actual exam questions, you will likely become more familiar with what you need to study and, in the meantime, familiarize yourself with the type of language that will be on the exam. Draft potential exam questions and quiz yourself so that you can set expectations of what you need to focus on.
14. Evaluate and reorganize your notes into what’s important, outlining important concepts, formulas dates and definitions so they’re easy to understand.
15. Switching up your subjects is a helpful way to learn everything for your exams while preventing burnout on one topic.
16. 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 the material.
17. Create mnemonic devices, such as acrostics, rhymes or acronyms, to help you remember information.
18. Listen to calming music, stretch or breathe deeply, this way you can avoid stress and release negative thoughts.
19. Study in a distraction-reduced environment. Turn off your cell phone, TV and email notifications.
    These tips can be mixed and matched various different ways to help support your own learning style. Consider these ideas before cramming for that next test. Make it a priority to utilize and maintain healthy studying techniques so you can prepare for those finals.