Final exams. There. I said it.
Acknowledging that finals exam week is almost here is the first step in successful exam preparation. It is also one of the hardest steps for students at the time of year.
As classes wind down and final papers are turned in, there’s a tendency for students to want to take a break from their studies even before taking their final tests.
I can tell you, though, that the most important way to prepare for finals is to give yourself enough time to go over all your class material while still designating moments to relax and enjoy your final week of school. This finals survival how-to will take you through all the essential steps to acing your exams while holding on to your sanity.
Study Day
As UMD students, we are lucky enough to have a day set aside just for studying.
Benjamin Franklin once said, “Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” And he’s right. Since there are no classes on Wednesday, do yourself a favor and go to bed early Tuesday night.
By getting a head start on your study day, you’ll have a whole morning to be productive and more time in the afternoon to take a study break with friends. There’s also a chance that many of the study hotspots will be uninhabited in the wee hours of the morning, so you’ll get first pick on where you want to spend your day.
Getting up early guarantees, as Mr. Franklin suggests, that you get to bed early as well. Trust me, if you have an exam the next day, going to bed early and getting a full night’s rest is the best thing you can do to relieve stress and approach the test with a clear head.
Best Places to Study on Campus
(Keep in mind these categories are interchangeable.)
If you need a quiet place to study…
- Michelle Smith Peforming Arts Library near CSPAC
- Hornbake Library (ground and second floors)
- McKeldin Library (levels 3-7)
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Library
- Architecture Library
If you need to be around other students…
- McKeldin Library (levels 1 & 2)
- Stamp Student Union
- Cambridge Community Center
If you need a space to move around in…
- Eppley Recreation Center (lower level)
- Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center (main level)
If you need to study in a group…
- McKeldin Library (level 2)
- Designated areas of Hornbake Library
- Dorm study lounges
If you need fresh air…
- McKeldin Mall
- Hornbake Plaza
- Engineering fields
- Eppley Recreation Center outdoor pool area
- LaPlata Beach
If you need an area where you can bring snacks…
- Back of dining hall (North or South Campus)
- Stamp Union Food Court
- McKeldin Library Footnotes Cafe
- Student Union Coffee Shop or other designated coffee shops in each college building
- Starbucks on Route 1 (open 24/7 for finals week)
If you need an area where you can rest safely (word of warning: try not to sleep through your study time)…
- Campus dorm lounge
There aren’t many options here. Be careful not to fall asleep alone late at night anywhere but your dorm room.
And do not underestimate the studying powers of…
- Dorm hall laundry room
- Dorm hall basement
- Empty classroom in an academic building
- A bench outside Stamp
- Your own desk in your own dorm room…or your friend’s
Best Places to Take a Study Break
Many of these places are located along Route 1, but that’s OK. The exercise will do you good and help clear your mind. Try taking a walk and listening to music on your way over.
- Starbucks. Lucky for you May 6 – May 15 is Frappuccino Happy Hour at Starbucks and you can get a completely customized drink for half the price! Go treat yourself.
- Nail Salon. There are many nail salons and spas along Route 1 to choose from. Go and get a mani-pedi! How cute will your nails look while you read your textbook?
- Yogiberry. Need I say more? If fro-yo isn’t your thing, take a walk down to Smoothie King or even The Dairy for a sweet pick-me-up.
- Stamp. The student union is hosting a campus wide study break on Thursday, May 12 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Atrium. Activities includes massages and snacks. And it’s free!
Study Snacks
- Nuts – they improve your mood and are known to boost your memory and focus
- Chocolate – yes! Chocolate is also a mood booster. Milk chocolate apparently helps to improve your verbal and visual memory as well as your reaction time, while dark chocolate improves your cognitive skills.
- Berries – improve motor skills and learning capacity and provide you with healthy antioxidants.
- Seeds – pumpkin seeds can help you to relax, while sunflower seeds help improve memory and cognitive functions.
- Fruit – a variety of fruits such as watermelon, oranges, apples, grapes, peaches and cherries can help you with recalling information. Sounds like a great thing to have for breakfast on exam day, if you ask me!
Studying Approaches
Go to your class review sessions and bring questions. Most professors run their review sessions by asking students what sections of the material they have questions on. If you take a look at the material before you go, you’ll have an idea of what you know and what you don’t, and what you need to ask about. Bring a notebook to these sessions so you can jot down what you hear.
If you have a textbook, read over the chapter summaries, the subheadings throughout and the review questions and vocab words in the back of the chapter. Presumably you have been reading the textbook diligently throughout the semester as you were instructed to do on the first day of class, but who are we kidding? Even if you never intended to crack open the textbook, there’s still a reason why it was on your book list and it can be a helpful tool. Many times a professor will take exam questions specifically from the end of the chapters in your textbook just to see if you have been reading as required.
Review all your notes before attempting to study anything. This is an effective way to differentiate between the material you feel comfortable with and the material that you don’t completely understand. Provided you attended all your classes throughout the semester, this will be an easy task.
Woody Allen said, “80 percent of success is just showing up,” and he’s absolutely right. By attending lecture you’ve already absorbed a large portion of the content that will be on the final, whether you know it or not. By sitting in class and listening to your professor, and by taking notes, you’ve subconsciously been processing hte facts and figures necessary to be successful on the exam. Studying, therefore, is just a chance for you to refresh your memory and prepare yourself to pull these tidbits of knowledge out of your head on the final.
Make a study guide/flash cards. This can be several pages long, but as long as everything in the guide is everything you feel you need to know, then it’s worth making it. Flashcards are helpful for memorization, and study guides help to further implement the facts into your brain. Try making a group study guide, where you break up the sections of the class between people and each person reviews a section.
Make a schedule. For some people, goal setting is a very effective way to accomplish assignments. By making a set schedule with designated time slots for specific subjects, you’ll feel more accomplished when you stay on task. Additionally, you’ll be less likely to lose focus if you’re on a deadline.
Break down large tasks into small parts. Sometimes the fear of having to absorb a large amount of material is so daunting that students feel the need to put it off until the last minute.
Study in an area you’re familiar with and during a time consistent with your normal study schedule. Don’t try to shake things up at the last minute. The bets thing you can do is place yourself where you feel most comfortable.
Additional Tips
- Review old exams
- Take practice exams/online quizzes
- Prepare outlines for essay questions
- Simulate the testing situation and practice doing problems or writing timed essays that you think will appear on the exam
- Take power naps if you need to relieve stress and revive your energy levels
- Go to bed early!!
On Exam Day
- Wear something comfortable that makes you feel good
- Arrive to class on time to avoid the stress of running to class or being late
- Give yourself time to ask your professor last minute questions, if necessary
During the Exam
- Write something on your scratch paper as soon as you get the test. Anything you think you’ll forget, be it definitions, formulas, dates or key terms, write them down before they leave your brain.
- Answer the questions you feel most comfortable with first.
- Don’t spend all your time stressing over a question you don’t know.
- Put yourself in a relaxed situation and gain confidence answering what you do know.
- RTFQ. Read the FULL question and all the answer choices before selecting an answer.
- Pick the answer that makes the most sense for what the question is asking, despite the fact that more than one may seem correct.
- If you start to tense up, take a quick minute to calm down.
And from all of us at Her Campus Maryland…
GOOD LUCK!!!