Fall semester finals are next week, but it’s okay, you’re not alone. We have all cried about it too. Here are just a few tips to get you through finals, and hopefully keep the stress acne to a minimum.
- Know Your Schedule
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Every syllabus should have the date, time, and location of the final. It’s often different than your usual class schedule, so be wary. You should also make sure you know your work schedule so you can plan time to study. Please enjoy this video of someone who did not know their finals schedule.
- Prioritize
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During the last two weeks of the semester, school should be a priority. Sometimes you have to say no to going out, or even have to give up a shift at work. You should have an idea of which classes you need to spend more time on based on course material and when the final will be.
- Stay Healthy
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Studying (and taking tests) is useless when sleep deprived. Pulling an all-nighter the day before the final may seem like a great idea, but when you’re tired, your brain can’t hold on to as much information. You’ll do better if you get eight hours of sleep, as opposed to drinking eight red bulls.
Beyond getting enough sleep, make sure you are eating and taking breaks. Don’t forget to get some exercise, even if that means taking a quick walk. Not only is it important to stay healthy during finals (and all the time), you will have more energy to study when you eat well and your blood is pumping.
- Read it, write it, say it
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It is a lot easier to process and remember information when it is communicated to you in different ways. When I study, I like to read through my notes, highlight anything that I think is important, and then transfer all that information to note cards. After going through the note cards a few times, I’ll ask a friend or a family member to talk through information with me. Going through this process is sure to help you nail your final.
- Put down your phone
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If you’re looking at phone every five seconds, you probably aren’t being productive. Turn off all notifications, leave it in another room, whatever it takes to make sure you are staying focused. If I’m moving locations to study, I will sometimes even leave my phone at home to make sure there’s no chance that I could be distracted by it.
The HC Wichita team wishes you the best of luck on finals! You got this.