It’s that dreaded time of the year again: time to start preparing for final exams. With finals for most schools being a few weeks away, I’m going to give you some tips to help you successfully prepare for your final exams. If you give each of these things a try, you’re bound to get a good grade on your finals.
1. Make a study schedule and stick to it.
Write down the dates and times for each of your final exams, and then decide which ones you need to start preparing for first. Designate some time each day to do a little bit of studying. Even 10 minutes of review will help in the long run if you don’t have much extra time to spare.
2. Download a productivity app.
It’s very helpful to download an app where you can create your daily schedule. With these apps, you can take a look at your schedule anywhere and see if you have time to take up that offer to hangout with friends. Apps like Sunrise and Any.Do will set a reminder to tell you when you need to get something done.
3. Gather up all of your necessary materials.
When you’re ready to start studying, take everything with you. You’ll need your notes, textbooks, flashcards, handouts, pencils and paper. You should also pack a snack and a drink to take with you so you don’t have to get up when you get hungry. That way, if you study somewhere outside of your room, you won’t have to waste time making unnecessary trips to your room for the things you should have already brought with you.
4. Get homework assignments, papers or projects out of the way first.
For some classes, you’ll be assigned a paper or a project instead of an actual final. If you get the hard things out of the way first, you won’t have to stress about them when it comes time to study for your finals. It’s best to focus on one specific task until it’s done and then move on to the next one.
5. Study in short intervals.
Your studying will be more beneficial if you study for short intervals at a time and then take short breaks in-between. Study for 30 minutes, and then take a five-minute break. Don’t overdo it. If you study for hours at a time, you won’t retain any of the information you learned.
6. Reward yourself.
After a long day of studying, you deserve a reward for sticking to your study schedule. Watch an episode of your favorite show on Netflix, go buy yourself a sweet treat, take a power nap or do something fun to reward yourself. Just make sure you don’t forget about studying and get back on schedule afterwards!
7. Breathe.
I know that finals are stressful, but the most important thing to do is breathe. If you find yourself panicking, just know that failing a final isn’t the end of the world. There will be more opportunities to retake the class if you need to. But if you follow through with these tips, and get help from your professors when you don’t understand something, you should do pretty well on your finals.
