Studying for finals is one of the most stressful parts of the semester. Everything you can ever think of will be covered, and you don’t even know where to start. Here are a few study tips that should allow you to organize and break down everything you need in order to ace your finals.
Make a study guide
You probably covered hundreds of pages of materials in class, and not all of it will be on the final. Going through everything and pulling out the most important parts and concepts will be useful and less stressful.
Also, some professors may give out a study guide. If that’s the case then DO IT. If they took the time to compile one, then that is their template for the final, or something extremely similar.
Attend study sessions
Some professors will volunteer their time and have one or two review sessions during or before finals week. Most of the time, the material covered during those sessions will end up on the final exam. So if your schedule allows it, you should try your best to make it.
Go through old tests
Chances are that if it was on one of your 4 or 5 old tests, it was a major important concept, and it will be on the final too. It may not be exactly the same format or style as it was on the tests, but it will be there. Studying the old tests will help you pull out the important concepts and make the much needed study-guide.
Don’t cram
Cramming so much material will leave you confused, stressed, and panicked. Pacing yourself and logically learning the material will be more useful for the analysis and making connections type of questions.
Start Early!
Don’t wait until the last minute!
If a class has too much material covered, you should start studying a week before finals week, or a little time before to allow you a more spaced out schedule and less stress. Trying to remember so much material at once can be hard, but leaving it time to sink in and continuing will help you remember more.
Relax, you got this!
Stressing out will cause you to panic, and panicking will not allow you to learn anything at all. Take everything step by step, and do your best!
Take study breaks
Sitting at a desk in the library for 8 hours straight may seem like a good and efficient study strategy, but it’s not. Your brain can only focus for so long, after which the information you’re trying to learn will not be coherent. Taking a five minute break will help you refocus and be able to continue studying efficiently.
Eat and Rest
Your brain will go into overload, and your stomach will be angry. When your stomach isn’t happy, your brain won’t be either. This will harm both your health and your studying efficiency. Those 30 minutes you spend eating will not make too much of a difference in how much you are studying, and showing up to the final in a daze because you haven’t slept for the past 48 hours and just crawled out of the library won’t help your grade either.
Happy thoughts! You’re almost there, and winter break is just around the corner (: