Where did the time go?
During the fall and winter season, I get super lethargic, thinking about freshmen year, university 101 classes, and dorm dramas. For those of you who are freshmen and sophomores, cherish the time you have left to appreciate the 200 level courses and the Friday nights spent at Java Break.
However, one of the things I do NOT fondly look back on are finals. My freshmen year was an absolute mess in December. I wish someone had taken the time to guide my young freshmen mind out of the ridiculous priority of binge watching Pretty Little Liars on Netflix and instead drag my sorry butt to Anschutz library for a much needed study date with the Psychology 104 ACCUMULATIVE exam.
So, after much pondering on what my topic would be about for my first post on the Odyssey; I figured, what the heck. Let's start talking about the one thing everyone is trying really hard NOT to think about.
Finals are a little over a month away...about five weeks to be exact. It might seem like a long time, but considering how fast freshmen and sophomore year seemed to fly by for me, don't be fooled. Five weeks can feel like five seconds if you're not prepared for the Finals whirlwind that's about to slap you in the face like an unwelcomed wind tunnel on Daisy Hill.
Here are just a few steps that might help you avoid that WTF moment when cramming for Finals. Good Luck!
1. Probably the most obvious step: start studying early!
Yes, you heard me. Start compiling the semester's notes of each class you're taking and make a nice fat Finals Binder
2. Take advantage of that yoga
You're going to need all the oxygen you can get for when you enter that testing room. Once you start studying early, you might actually have time to do some relaxing techniques that might help you conquer your math anxiety for that Calc I, II, III, or IV final exam. When you get down to the nitty and grittiness of it all, there's no way to completely avoid stress. Lucky for you, you might actually be able to fit a yoga session or two in between your pre-planned review sessions.
3. Study during your prime time.
I don't know whether you're a night owl or an early riser, but when it comes to studying for finals, it's always good to study at the peak of your energy level. This way, you can dedicate the time to study when you are most likely to fully concentrate on the task at hand. Don't spend hours reading the same word or formula. Trust me, that won't get you an A on that Calc. IV exam.
4. Don't overthink things.
I can't tell you how many times I came up with the right answer and almost immediately doubted myself into changing it. Looking back on all the finals I got back with a faint erased circle around the correct answer still makes me want to hit myself, again. If you take the time to plan final prep before Stop Day (tip #1), the last thing you can do is give yourself the benefit of the doubt. You got this; don't let yourself or anyone else tell you that you don't own Finals Week. Trust me, you do not want that hard earned A+ going down to a B- at the very end of a challenging semester.