Its finally finals week! It doesn’t seem like the normally long fall semester was actually that long this year, huh? Well, this week is the true “test” of all you have learned during the semester. Don’t let that freak you out. Here are some tips on how to ace finals at SFA!
How long should you prepare?
Dont wait until Dead Week to begin studying the material for your final. We all know SFA professors are notorious for not “honoring” Dead Week. I’ve had a test, project and two quizzes due this week! Begin preparing for your finals at least two weeks in advance. Do the reviews for your finals or create your own one week, and then spend 1-2 hours each day studying for different finals. That way, you have time to actually comprehend the material, not just memorize it, and you also have a lesser chance of just blacking out and forgetting chunks of material when you get the test.
What do I need?
Know what things you need for the final. I’ve seen several people come to finals without pens, papers, blue books and scantrons and are forced to run to the campus bookstore or beg someone for an extra. Come prepared, with all your exam materials and anything else that might be due on the day of the final.
Study groups: Good idea or stay away?
The study group. A group of students working through the struggle together. Study groups can be a major help or distraction during finals time. Pick your study groups wisely. If you know you are going to spend more time talking about campus gossip and goofing around, you might want to take a raincheck on the study session. Study sessions should be brief and only discuss the class(es) that you are studying for. It should be more of a review for everyone in the group, rather than their first time studying for the class final. And remember: you dont want to be that girl (or guy) who comes to the study session with little or none of the review done.
Where should I study?
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is going to the library during finals. It might sound crazy but if you haven’t noticed, everyone is in the library during finals week, and the library becomes over crowded, loud and distracting. Hence the pet name “Club Steen” that is used by Lumberjacks to describe the library during finals. If you must use the library, check out one of the private study rooms at the circulation desk. However, the wait for one of the six rooms can last hours, so be prepared to wait. Most dorms on campus have study rooms and laundry rooms that provide a great and small, semi private place to study. These areas often go unused, and can be a well hidden secret if you need a place to study. A great place to study off campus is Java Jacks on North Street. This two story coffee house on North Street has a quiet area on the second floor that is often used for studying or reading.
What should I avoid?
Finals can tempt you to pick up bad habits. Here are a few that can be easily avoided.
- Don’t overdose on coffee or energy drinks.
- Don’t cram the night/hours before the test.
- Don’t stay up all night studying. Get as much sleep as you can. Your body needs time to rest.
- Don’t cheat. You will almost always fail the course if you get caught. Dont spend time making small cheat sheets or putting information in your calculator.
- Don’t spend one day studying for a test. Spread the information out over the course of a week or more.
- Don’t spend hours on the computer “studying”. The internet is your best friend and worst enemy during finals. Its so simple to log on to your favorite social networking or blog site and get lost in it for hours. This time could have been spent learning the material.
These tips should have you ready for your finals in no time! Good luck Lumberjacks!