As a first-year student who cannot believe it is already late November, I have begun hearing the fearful whispers circling around about final exams. I took final exams during high school, but it was not nearly as important as finals are in college. However, I have a few steps I take to ensure that I am not studying at the very last minute, and I would like to share them with you all!
First, gather your materials. Flashcards, past exams or quizzes, class notes or lecture slides, old papers, etc. Try to organize these into topics or chapters to study seamlessly.
Next, create a schedule to stay organized and on top of studying. For example, plan to study chapters 1 and 2 of math for a few hours, and then study a few old history quizzes for another hour or so. Breaking your studying up will help you retain the information and avoid burnout.
Develop study methods that work for you. I find that the Pomodoro focus method works very well. You set a 25-minute timer and solely focus on work during that period. Then, break for five minutes. After you repeat this process four times, allow yourself a 15-to-30-minute break. There are many other study methods out there, and a little trial and error will help you figure out which is best for you!
Take breaks and take care of yourself. It is vital to stretch your legs, step outside, talk with friends, eat good meals, and sleep well. Balance is absolutely necessary during finals week. Without it, you may burn out and do worse on your exams. Do not be so hard on yourself, you are a human, not a robot who studies twenty-four hours a day!
Lastly, do not panic! One single test grade is not going to change your whole life or career path. It is important to stay calm, breathe, and remember that you know more than you think. Time goes by. The exam will be over at one point or another, and there will be nothing you can do about it. Just let it go and try not to overthink it. Finally, please congratulate yourself. You have worked hard and deserve to relax, go home, enjoy the holidays, and a nice long break!