We’ve been through this before, but still get nervous whenever finals week comes around. Through failing some and passing some, I’ve figured out some ways that help me prepare for finals.
1. Go to the library
I personally know that studying in my dorm room gets me absolutely nowhere. There’s Netflix, Hulu, TV, roommates, and more to distract you! It’s best to get out of the room and go somewhere you can focus. It doesn’t have to be the library either; go to a coffee shop or a nice area outside.
2. Stay away from friends while studying
When I’m with my friends, we tend to gossip about what is happening in our friend group, that cute guy in our math class, and just about anything besides homework. If you really want to retain what you’re studying, word to the wise, stay away from your besties!
3. Coffee/caffeine
Starbucks. Must I explain further?
4. Take breaks
Studying for long periods of time will just wear you out! The 50-10 Rule is my best friend while studying for any tests or quizzes, but especially finals! So take breaks occasionally. The 50-10 Rule is studying for 50 minutes and then taking a 10 minute break! During this break you can scroll through social media, tweet how upset you are about finals, or eat a snack! Snacking is my personal favorite!
5. Get enough sleep
I cannot stress this enough!!! You don’t want to fight the urge to nap during your exam, so rest up and be wide awake so you can do your best on that test! Avoid pulling all-nighters and last minute cramming at all costs! We all know the struggle of procrastination, so if you absolutely must cram, read upside down and aloud! It’ll help you know and learn the material better.
6. Stay organized
I personally LOVE my planner. I don’t think I could live without it. It helps to be on time and know what all I need to do. I’d suggest either having a planner to write down all of your exam times down and when you need to study or finding another way to write it down. You need to be able to see it laid out.
You can always use your phone calendar instead! I know most students feel naked without their cell phones, so use that to your advantage! Even a piece of paper could work!
7. Make practice tests
In high school, I used this method more often, but this past semester, practice tests have really come in handy. Having a practice test really helps to learn the material! It’ll also show you what you need to review again!
Hopefully, your teacher is nice enough to give you a study guide! Unfortunately, most college teachers won’t. Sorry, but this means you actually have to put some work into your studying! You have to hold your own hand with this one, instead of your teacher helping you through.
Go through your notes and form important sections into questions that you could see being on the exams. Most of my exams are cumulative so use the quizzes and previous tests to your advantage too! No worries, you got this!
8. Know what type of learner you are and use that to your advantage
I am a visual learner, meaning I learn better by using images or diagrams! You can be a visual, auditory, writing/reading, or kinetic learner!
If you are a visual learner, use charts and diagrams to study!
If you’re an auditory, record class lectures and listen to them after class or have someone call questions and answers out to you!
If you’re writing/reading, you can rewrite your notes! If you go to the library, usually there are white boards around. I’ve seen students rewriting their notes out on the white board to memorize them!
Last but not least, if you’re a kinetic learner, you can color code your notes. Use flash cards, make charts!
If you don’t know what type of learner you are yet, here’s a quick little quiz to take so you can find out and get to studying in ways that work!
http://www.howtolearn.com/learning-styles-quiz
9. Reward yourself
I don’t mean reward yourself after the exams, I mean rewarding while studying! If you’re reading a textbook, the best way to get through those boring paragraphs is to set gummy bears at the ends of each passage. When you finish each paragraph, you can have a little treat to motivate you to read more.
You can also take a break after finishing the chapter! Take a minute to snapchat the horrible book you’re reading or eat some ice cream, but make sure the break isn’t too long!
10. During the final, just breathe, you got this!
You’ve taken finals before and passed them, so I know you can do it again! Don’t stress about them too much and make sure you’re well prepared! If you have to, go back over the exam once you’ve finished! But once you chose an answer by “going with your gut,” stick with it!
Once you’re done with all of your exams, my congratulations goes out to you! Now all you have to do is wait those dreaded days until your final grades come out. In the meantime, enjoy your break with family and friends! Reward yourself with having fun since you worked so hard studying for finals!
