Finals week is nearly upon us! To help you prepare, I’ve put together some strategies you can use to get ready for what’s coming your way.Â
- Start Early
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Many people leave planning for finals until the last possible minute. The earlier you start, the less stressful it is. Begin by confirming what time your finals are for each class and where they are if you’re taking them in person.Â
- Plan Study Time into Your Schedule
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Go through your calendar and choose specific days and times to study. It can also be helpful to choose what material you are studying at particular times to stay on track. By picking specific days and times, you’re more likely to stick to your study routine instead of choosing to cram everything into one time slot.Â
- Find Some Study Buddies
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Finding friends, or even acquaintances, who are available to study with you is a huge help. They may know more about a particular subject than you and can help to reinforce the material. Even if they can’t help teach you, they can help hold you accountable for your own studying.Â
- Create a Study Guide
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Make a study guide of material you know and what you don’t. By choosing both materials you are comfortable with and those you aren’t, you can connect them in your brain which will make them easier to remember.Â
- Ask Questions
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From now until LDOC, it is extremely important to use your professors, TAs and classmates to your advantage. If there is material you don’t understand, ASK. If you’re embarrassed to ask in class, you can go to office hours or send your professor an email. They may be able to send you some helpful links and resources.Â
- Remember to Take Breaks
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Studying is a really good way to embrace concepts from class and reinforce material, BUT no one benefits from frying their brain by cramming for hours. Take time to relax, it will make it much easier to remember what you’re studying and can prevent the oh-so-frustrating brain fog. An easy way to force yourself to take breaks, or to force yourself to work for an extended period of time, is to use the Pomodoro method. I’ve become a big fan recently. Essentially, you work for 25 minutes, break for 5 and repeat as many times as necessary. After a few repeats, you’re entitled to longer breaks. There are tons of timers available online or in app stores to help you!
- Manage Your Stress
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Going back to prioritizing breaks, it is very important to take time for yourself. Over-stressing is not going to do you any favors while you’re studying or taking exams. Exercise and meditation are beneficial in managing your stress and are highly recommended by experts and should be used to break up studying.Â
- Color-Code Notes and Study Material
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Color-coding material is a great way to help you remember information. By associating concepts and colors, it may help you to think of material in a different way that makes it stick in your brain.Â
- Quiz Yourself
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Quizzing yourself can be super helpful in gaining confidence when prepping for finals. If your professor has released old exams, or you have your old tests, try questions! Learning how questions on the exam will be asked, and what answers are expected, will make taking your final so much easier because you know what to be prepared for on exam day.Â
Hopefully, these tips helped you think of new ways to prepare for finals. Remember: do not try to cram an entire semester into one night before your final AND do your best! In all honesty, finals may seem like a huge deal now, but if you don’t do as well as you had hoped, just learn from it and know you need to prepare better in the future. Good luck!