It's that time of the semester where students remember that the library actually exists and the need for caffeine sky rockets. It's that last ditch effort to get our grades as high as we can but most importantly, it's the final stretch before we get to go home for break. Being a Sociology major for two years I am pretty much skilled in the art of understanding human behavior and the reason why people interact. So, I know the best ways on how to study and how our behavior can affect the way we memorize things more effectively. Basically, you should pay close attention to these tips cause you're probably desperate enough to read them anyway.
1. Make a terrible study guide and share it with everyone in your class.
After doing this and successfully tricking them into thinking it's the best study guide around, make a new one with all the important information for yourself. By doing this, you essentially knock out your competition and become that person in the class who solidifies the best grade on the exam. It's a sure fire way to have everyone in the class hate you except for your teacher, who is the only person who actually matters.
2. Go to the library and recite your notes out loud a couple of times.
The library is the best place to be because it's so quiet, especially during finals week. Since it's so quiet, it's a prime opportunity for you to recite your notes out loud so you can remember them better without having any distractions around you. Remember, if the librarian tells you to be quiet remind her that you're studying for finals and that she's interrupting you and the people around you.
3. Wait until the day before to study all of your notes.
People always tell you that it's best to study a little bit at a time before your exam but those people are liars. From a sociological standpoint and having done no research at all, my hypothesis is that by studying the night before you truly get all the information retained. Studying the night before or even better, an hour before, means that there is no time for you to forget any of it because you'll be taking your exam and all that knowledge will just spew out onto your paper. Just remember if you study the night before the test, do not go to sleep! If you do, you'll just forget everything and that hour of studying a semester's worth of notes will be pointless.
4. Reward yourself every 15 minutes with a nap.
Studying can be so tiring and how are you supposed to focus if you can barely keep your eyes open to read those biology notes? Well, if you plan to take a nap every 15 minutes of studying you will never get that drowsy feeling again. If you're one of those people who fall asleep in class then this study tip is perfect for you because you'll feel right in your element.
5. Stock up on candy and soda while studying.
If you think that taking a nap just isn't for you then hoarding a bunch of soda and candy while studying is the perfect route for you to take. The high sugar contents and saturated fats are the perfect way to keep you hyper enough for you to stay awake as long as you need to study. Twizzlers, Sour Patch, Skittles, M&M's, Mountain Dew, Pepsi, Sprite -- the possibilities for tooth decay are endless! But what's a little 16 different cavities to your parents if you finally bring that 'A+' home, just in time for the holidays.
