Finals are approaching, and if you are anything like me, the week is anything but stress-free. The group assignments due, large amounts of information to remember, retain, and in some cases, learn, as well as the lack of sleep can make you want to rip your hair out. It is extremely overwhelming. I am not the best at starting early with studying, but I have found some hacks that have been helpful to me and hopefully helpful to you as well.
Study Groups
Finding a group of students in a particular course to study with has helped me tremendously over the years. For the concepts and terms that are personally confusing, a group will help explain it to how they understand it, and that alone has helped my grade increase drastically as well as create meaningful relationships with people, regardless of their major.
Take Breaks
Everyone needs some time to let their minds relax, so the best thing while cramming for finals is to take breaks. Every half hour, hour or whatever pace you can handle, get up and just walk around, stretch, watch a YouTube video, eat a snack, call a friend, anything to relax yourself and calm you muscles.
Study Early
As I said, I am the worst at this. What helps me is to look after every test taken in that class at the reviews if given once, and the main concepts of those and review them. Since finals week is in two weeks for students of UNT, it is a perfect time to start reviewing about a chapter a day, then add a chapter as the days go by. It will decrease your cramming and increase your final’s score.
Make a List
Plan out what you want to personally get done that day. Write a list of goals and check them off throughout the day. The end result will make you more productive, accomplished and less stressed.
Visit the professor
Having the professor put a face with a name or even a personality with the face is a great way to show professors how much you care and how much effort you are putting in to be successful in their class. There have been many cases where I have heard professors help students with an 89 to get an 90 or 69 to passing grade due to office hour visitations. It will help a ton to know how the final is organized by talking to the professor as well.
Happy studying and good luck on your exams!