With finals season quickly approaching, it is easy to let ourselves sink into a sea of online textbooks and quizlet flashcard sets. Do you ever feel like you can study for hours and hours and just can’t seem to take it all from the brain to pen to paper on the actual exam? Well, that may be the exact problem. With more efficient study methods, you can cut down on hours while retaining more. Let’s go over some techniques to keep your motivation (and your test scores) high.
Study Crawl
One of my favorite aspects of student life is the campus with seemingly unlimited study spaces. Give yourself a whole day or half a day to commit to a study crawl with a group of friends or just yourself and your laptop.
Start off with a caffeine kick at a cute cafe. Move it outdoors for some fresh air and brain refresh. Finish it off with deep focus in your favorite quiet library on campus (I prefer the comfy seats of the Pine Room in the Union). Psychologists recommend changing your study locations as it boosts long-term retention by creating links from the information to the atmosphere where it was learned. More links = faster information retrieval on exams.
Make sure to treat yourself along the way with walks in between spots and your favorite cafe order to keep your mind relaxed and happy.
POmodoro Technique
When I study for too long, I can tell my mind is drifting when I have to reread the same passage over and over. With the Pomodoro technique, you can trust that a break is coming and you can work in peace. Set a timer for 25 minutes. When that timer is up, congratulations! You’ve earned yourself a 5 minute break. Repeat that 3 times and take a longer break for 30 minutes.
While it may seem bothersome at times when you’re in a flow with your work, overall this method can save you time as you retain more faster. Try using an app like Focus Booster or Faster to track your work and breaks instead of freestyling. This way, you don’t have to keep checking your phone for the remaining time.
Study group with friends
Especially in finals season, it can be hard to find that motivated spirit we had at the beginning of the grueling semester. For me, the most effective of all of these techniques has been finding friends who value their academics as much as I do. This way, you don’t have to sacrifice your social life to get work done. Plus, the breaks are a lot more fun when you can chat and complain. Just be sure you don’t chat for too long. Usually, there’s a point where someone will say, no seriously I have to lock in, and that will force you to get back to work too.
Not all studying is productive studying. Try these and see what works best for you and don’t be afraid to switch things up when stuying feels stale. On that note, the only way to truly make studying fun is to enjoy what you’re learning! Take this as your reminder that if your major is making you miserable, it’s ok to change your mind! Study what you love in a way you love! Good luck.