Spring is approaching and all you want to do is lay outside and relax in the sun. Except you have multiple finals coming up that are worth a third of your total grade in each course. It’s a total buzz kill and completely overwhelming to many collegiates as well. With all that material to review, many students don’t even know where to begin. However, if you prepare early, studying for finals may not be fun, but it can be much more manageable.
Tip 1: Make a study schedule… and stick to it
Splitting up the material and planning out daily goals will make it easier to get the motivation to study and actually make progress doing it. Instead of trying to cram ten chapters in a few days, you can review one or two chapters everyday and actually take the information in. This will make the couple of days leading up to finals a lot easier.
Tip 2: DON’T Procrastinate
Without classes everyday, it is easy to think you have a lot more time than you have. However, the more you put studying off, the more it will pile up. It is better to do a little each day, rather than nothing at all.
Tip 3: Ask your professor for supplemental practice problems or tests
If you think notes won’t be enough, ask your professor for practice tests or look at the supplements professors often post on Blackboard throughout the semester. These questions could show up on the final and can also give you a good idea about what to expect for the test
Tip 4: Study in a group… but choose wisely
Group studying is great – but not always. If you work with friends that you know will distract you, then you will not get much done. Also, if you work with only people who don’t take good notes or pay attention, it will be more like tutoring and less like group studying. This may good because you can explain topics you already know, however, no one will be able to help you with topics you are unsure about or correct you on material you may be wrong about. Therefore, be sure to choose a mix of people whom you know you can stay focused with.
Tip 5: Scope out a good study space early
Most residential study rooms, the student center, and the library will be packed during finals week. Therefore, you need to reserve study rooms early or stake out a space early on. I would recommend finding a quiet place off campus where you can focus – like an obscure coffee shop or off campus library.
Tip 6: Turn off electronics
It may be tempting to take a quick break on Twitter, Facebook, or god forbid, Buzzfeed, but these breaks can go from 5 minutes to 45 minutes very quickly. Therefore, it’s better to study without your phone or laptop. However, if you are using an e-book or PowerPoints to study, you can use an app called Self Control for a MacBook to block distracting websites or other websites that can block sites under your discretion.
Tip 7: Take breaks
Studying for hours on end will burn you out very quickly and make you less motivated to keep going. Take power naps, watch a quick episode on Netflix, or go to the gym to burn off steam. It will make you refreshed for the next time you hit the books.