For most college students, winter break has been on your mind now for a couple of weeks. Between the planning of trips or submission of part-time job applications, you're already envisioning what that month home is going to be like. But before you can focus on that, you’re hit with the dreaded thought of finals week: the week of no sleep, countless library hours, and more than $20 spent on either coffee or energy drinks.
Yeah, we all hate them, but unfortunately we all must do them. So here are five tips to conquering your finals:
Talk to your professors
Yeah I know, why go visit them now when the semester’s over. Plus I bet you don’t even know where their office is, but trust me -- I promise you it will help. They know what’s on the final, seeing as they wrote it, and can help you prepare with maybe even some sample problems or what pages in the book to go over.
Don’t wait until the last minute
Nothing’s worse than cramming Sunday night for two finals on Monday morning. Finals are a big deal and are worth a lot of points. Don’t wait to start studying, start now!
Actually read the textbook
Half the material comes from the lectures, and the other half is from the textbook that you haven’t opened since you bought it. Instead of staring at it thinking you’ll never open it, why not give it a shot and read it? Thirty minutes of your time for an A on a final is definitely worth it.
Find a quiet place
Blasting music, chatting with friends, or even being in a noisy dorm room will not help you concentrate. Hit the library, maybe even the quiet section, to get the most out of your studying. And the good news is that the library has later hours during finals and a coffee shop so you can stay awake and study longer.
Relax and breathe
Finally, regardless of the three other people you know who may have said it was easy, finals are still tough and require all your time and attention. Don’t get too stressed or nervous before going into an exam -- just relax and take a deep breath; everything will be fine and you’re going to do great!
