Now I don’t know about you, but I am ready for summer. Unfortunately, with the great Eno weather we’ve had recently and the fact that Netflix even exists, my finals prep has been a little lack luster. So, seeing as this semester ends in a week (yikes!) I’ve compiled some last minute study tips that should help for cramming purposes. It should be noted that I in no way advocate for procrastinating, but we are all aware that it happens so why not do what we can to crawl our way out of the hole we’ve dug ourselves into?
1.) Turn your phone off! None of this “silent’ or “I’ll put it on airplane mode” nonsense. The same goes for your laptop. Off it goes. I know sometimes we convince ourselves that we need online resources to study, but I often fall prey to the fact that Pinterest is just a click away. It’s better to just remove that temptation completely by turning off your electronic devices. And let’s be real, if you’re at the point where you are doing what is considered “cramming” then you’ve probably spent more than enough time online already.
2.) Study in a quiet, clean area. While it may be comfortable, studying in bed does you no favors. So spread out on your floor, set up your notes at your desk, or, if you’re adventurous, take a voyage to the overcrowded library. (At this point you’re unlikely to get a study room so go at your own risk.) It definitely helps when you can review all your notes undisturbed and uncluttered.
3.) Prepare snacks. While the usual go-to is caffeine, that’s surprisingly not what’s most conducive to studying. You want to drink ice water to keep you alert and hydrated. As far as snacks go, I recommend apple slices or grapes. If you NEED some junk food in your life, try some dark chocolate. It supposedly stimulates the brain. (Or maybe that’s just something we tell ourselves to feel less guilty.)
4.) Take breaks. It’s really easy to drain yourself, especially if you’re trying to memorize a ton of information. Every 45 minutes take a five minute break to use the bathroom or eat one of your snacks. This will help you to not get overwhelmed at how much more work you still have to do!
5.) Study smart. Okay, at this point you have no time to do things like rewrite all of your notes with different pens to color coordinate by chapter. You’re out of time woman! Your best hope for retention is simply rereading your notes from lecture and going over important ideas in your textbook. If it’s bolded it’s most likely important so I’d say start there.
6.) Get some sleep. You may think you haven’t afforded yourself enough time for frivolous activities like sleeping, but trust me as I speak from experience; you need to get a minimum of six hours before a big test. So close the books, snuggle up, and set your alarm to an awesome song that’s going to get you pumped before your test!
Hopefully this short list helps you guys. Good luck – you guys have this in the bag! Summer is right around the corner. Keep your chins up Bobkittens!