Studying for finals can be a real struggle and it takes a lot of practice to learn the perfect way to study. Here are some tips you can try out as you prepare for this round of finals.
1. Recopy your lecture notes
In many classes, the lecture notes will be the most helpful tool in studying. However, I find that usually, my lecture notes are the most unreliable source for information. Sometimes I have a hard time paying attention in class, so I miss information and sometimes I copy things down wrong. I like to take pictures of my peers notes and compare my notes with theirs to make sure everything is right and I have all the important information. Rewriting my lecture notes also gives me a chance to reorganize the material in a way that makes sense to me and include important notes from the textbook as well, personally, because sometimes the order in which my professors teach me is not idea. Handwriting your notes multiple times also stimulates your memory, leading to higher grades on exams.
2. Color code your notes
Colors can be an effective tool in studying. When making study guides, you can write or highlight definitions in one color and examples in another. Do not use too many colors, because this can be overwhelming for your brain. Highlight information that your professor placed extra importance on.
3. Use sticky notes to mark questions
Whenever you have a question about material, take a sticky note and place it in your notes. Write the question down on the sticky note and do not remove the sticky note until you have gotten clarification on the topic and added it to your notes.
4. Make a bomb-ass crib sheet
Making crib sheets is an art to be perfected. You have limited space and lots of material. I suggest that you first go through all the class material (lecture notes, and textbooks, etc.) and take abbreviated notes with all the important information. Then make your crib sheet based on these notes before you begin any back exams.
To begin making your crib sheet, take a piece of printer paper and fold it to divide it into sections for each major topic. The number of sections is up to you but I like to fold my paper once down the middle and then make several horizontal folds. I reserve the right side for formulas and notes, and the left side for example problems. Because you already have an abbreviated version of your notes, you have a general idea of how your crib sheet should be organized and what formulas are important. Go through your abbreviated notes and write down important formulas on the right side of your crib sheet. WRITE SMALL. You want to have space left over to add example problems. When writing out your formulas and notes, you can color code your crib sheet or highlight topic descriptions to make it easier to read while taking the exam.
Next, once the right side of your crib sheet has all the formulas and information you think you need to ace your exam, it's time to test it out. Try completing a back exam using the crib sheet you have made and if there is any question that you were unable to complete with the information already on your crib sheet, then add the question or some extra notes to the left examples panel of your crib sheet. This is a great way to make sure that your crib sheet will be effective on helping you on your exam.
My number one tip regarding crib sheets is to always make your own. If you print out someone else's crib sheet, it will be difficult to locate the information you need. Looking at other crib sheets to make sure you haven't missed any material is always a good idea though.
It takes a lot of time and experimenting to find the perfect study habits, but hopefully these tips will get you one step closer to getting the grades you want on your exams.
