Ah, December. It’s been described as the most wonderful time of year due to the holiday season officially in full swing, Christmas music played on every radio station, stores having crazy sales and people trying to buy everything on their holiday shopping lists. But for college students, December marks one of the most stressful times of year. Yes, we begin our month-long winter breaks, but before we can go home, we have to take finals.
Some people may only have one or two finals, some people may have only take-home papers and tests, and others (including myself), have something due every single day the first week of finals. No matter how many finals you might have this year, here are some ways to help you get through this crazy time of the year.
1. Find your ideal study zone
Yes, we all know this; studying is a huge drag. No matter how much work you might have, it is important to find a nice, quiet place to study. Some great suggestions around AU include the quiet/silent floors of the library, the Battelle Atrium (a personal favorite of mine), your floor’s study lounge, or even your bed during quiet hours. Finding a good spot to study will help get you more focused and ready to tackle whatever work you might have to do.
2. Grab all your essential materials before you begin
Studying often requires a lot, and often times when you get up many times to grab different things, it can lead to you getting distracted, especially if you are in a place like your bedroom. Before you sit down to study, grab everything you might need for your work including textbooks, laptop, laptop charger, writing utensils, notebooks, index cards, pencil sharpeners, coffee and highlighters (brightly colored ones will make studying much more fun!)
3. Get rid of/turn off all distractions
This mostly applies if you are studying in a place like your bedroom or your floor’s lounge. To get into “study mode” make sure you turn off all distractions such as the TV, radio, computer (unless you need it to study, but make sure you close all tabs such as Facebook and email!) and yes, your cell phone.
4. Pick the right kind of music
If you are the kind of person who likes to listen to music when you study, make sure you pick something calming and relaxing to help get you in the zone. Spotify and Pandora have great suggestions, or you can make a playlist of your own! If you are really not into classical/relaxing music, try listening to empowering songs to give yourself that extra boost of confidence and energy. A great sugesstion of an empowering study song would be “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten.
5. Snack on the right foods
Yes, I know. Studying makes us all hungry. Many studies out there have proven that it is better for you to eat healthy foods while studying, since they are more likely to increase your energy. Some suggestions for healthy study snacks include fruits and vegetables, nuts, yogurt with granola and berries, granola bars, cheese and protein snacks such as hummus and peanut butter. If you are really craving something sweet, go for some fruity yogurt or a granola bar with chocolate. Snacking on these foods will keep you more awake and energized no matter how long you spend on studying.
6. Don’t be afraid to ask professors for help!
Now that classes have ended, many people think that professors will no longer be around to help with any last minute studying. That is not the case! Many professors on campus have been adding extra office hours before their finals to allow students to come in with any questions or to even review drafts of papers. Don’t be afraid to take advantage of those! They are here for you and they want you to succeed. If they aren’t holding office hours before finals, they will most likely be avaliable via email, so make sure you listen for the avalibility of your professors.
7. Take breaks and do something fun!
Studying is a drag. Especially long days of sitting in the library with a book in front of you. That’s where breaks come in! Plan out when you want to take your breaks. During these breaks, do something fun such as watch a funny YouTube video, go on your social media, workout, take a walk, hang with friends on the quad, or just lay in your bed trying not to think about all the work you still have left to do. Taking breaks is essential when studying, since it helps to clear your mind for a while so you don’t feel like you are jamming information from different subjects into your head all at once.
8. Don’t want to sudy alone? Form a study group!
This is a great suggestion for people who like to study with friends, especially if you have a big group of them in one of your classes. Set up a time where you can all meet up, share notes and study together. Great places for group studying include the Mudbox, Battelle Atrium, the SIS building and McKinley.
9. Sleep, sleep, sleep
Although finals may seem like a time to pull all-nighters, sleep is so crucial during this time of year. The more sleep you get, especially the night before your finals, the more likely you’ll do better on them, because you will be so much more energized and refreshed, and ready to take on any final. A great tip is if your final involves memorization, try flipping through your notes or index cards right before you go to sleep. Studies have proven that looking at something right before you go to sleep can actually help you remember it a lot better.
10. You’ve got this!
No matter how many finals you have, it is always important to have confidence in yourself, and keep up the positive energy. Make “I’ve got this!” your mantra during finals, or print out some inspirational quotes to give you an extra boost of confidence as you work. Finals season is rough on everyone, but this means winter break is almost here, and then you can go home and relax, spend time with family, hug your pets, watch Netflix and sleep.
We hope these tips help you survive the crazy time of year otherwise known as finals season 2015!