This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Fordham chapter.
Finals are creeping up on us, but that doesn’t mean the seemingly inevitable stress needs to creep up on you, too. Believe it or not, there is a way for #finalsszn to be manageable, you just have to take a look at these tips and see which ones work for you:
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- Make a master plan: write out a calendar, a list, whatever you prefer to see exactly what is coming and when. That way, you can adequately plan for each thing on your checklist. (Try bullet journaling if you’re an organization junkie, it will keep your priorities in check and will eliminate all confusion!)
- Jump into studying – don’t push it off, you’ll thank yourself later. If you wait until you feel like studying, will you study much at all? If you do little by little, not only will the information stick better – it will be so much more doable!
- Figure out the formats of your exams and papers. That way, you can figure out the best ways to study and prepare.
- Take short breaks: your brain can only handle so much at one time if you want it to retain everything. But make sure you stay motivated and don’t turn your break into a day-long vacation from studying.
- Quiz yourself. Once again, think about your favorite method and go to town. Flashcards, practice quizzes, cover up your notes and try to explain them, anything to try and recite the content you’re learning.
- Say it out loud! Reading your notes out loud or explaining what you’re learning about to someone will really help the information stick. Challenge yourself and try this step after you have studied a little bit and explain your notes without looking at them. It will be like learning a script, it will stay in your memory like a song you can’t get out of your head! (Which is great for an exam.)
- Make sure you actually sleep. Studying all night long and writing papers into the early morning is absolutely something we’ve all done over the course of our college careers, but what good is studying all night if you are on the verge of snoozing through your exam? Sleeping is just as important as a great study session.
- Keep in contact with your professor or tutors throughout your course of studying. They are there to help you and if you reach out and allow them to help you in the days leading up to the exam, you will be much better off! (Pro tip: don’t ask for help for the first time the night before, it makes you look very unprepared and like you don’t care very much.)
- Are you working with a study buddy? Don’t split the work, each of you should do all of it. It’s better to get a full study experience than to rely on someone else’s work. It’s not as convenient, but it will help to study everything on your exam for yourself.
- Use music! Whether you listen to it to keep you concentrated or write up lyrics about what you’re learning and put it on top of your favorite song, use music to your advantage.
Lastly, have confidence in yourselves. You are smart students who are in college for a reason! When it’s time for your exam, don’t panic, just go in and do the very best you can. Everyone here at Her Campus Fordham is wishing you the best of luck during your Finals Season!!! Hang in there, you’re almost at Winter Break!
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