Finals season can be rough for everyone, so it’s important to prioritize your health as well as get your studying done. Here are some tips for finals season!
- Get enough sleep!
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This is my number one tip for everyone–it is so important to get enough sleep during a stressful and busy week. This is often the first thing people forget about when they are overwhelmed with work, but having a good sleep increases your productivity and brainpower when you are studying.
- Go on a study crawl
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Going on a study crawl is a fun way to break up long periods of studying. I like to do 1 ½ hours in each location before moving on to the next one. For example, you can start doing work in Olin, then move to Ho, then to the Library, then to Flour and Salt in town. Changing your location can help your brain reset and be more efficient when studying.
- Move your body to alleviate anxiety
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If you are feeling stressed, moving your body for a short period of time can be a great way to alleviate stress. Whether it’s a short gym session or a walk with friends, any type of movement can help clear your mind.
- Write things down
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Physically writing things down instead of typing has been shown to increase memorization. This can be a good way to help retain more information if you have to study for a lot of exams at once.
- Give yourself enough time
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Studying should be looked at as a marathon rather than a sprint. Make sure you give yourself enough time to study for your exams so that you can actually learn and retain the material rather than just trying to cram it all in the day before.
- Fuel your body correctly
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Snacks and water are also an important part of studying for exams. If you aren’t fueling your body correctly, it is more difficult for your brain to be firing at full capacity. When you go to study, make sure you bring some snacks with you so you can take short breaks in between your work.
- Try active recall
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Lastly, instead of just rereading your notes, active recall is a good way to identify weak spots. While not all types of studying work for everyone, active recall is often regarded as one of the most universal methods and has been shown to help increase understanding.Â
Hopefully, these tips will help you all through finals season. Good luck and remember, summer is just around the corner!