Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
books on brown wooden shelf
books on brown wooden shelf
Susan Yin/Unsplash

15 Studying Tips for Finals

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Bryant chapter.

1.      Stock up on snacks

Everyone needs brain food and you don’t want to be running off campus in the middle of studying!

2.      Listen to relaxing music (Moonlight Sonata Pandora)

Classical music is a great way to keep focused while studying

3.      Ask people in your class to make a study group

Working with other people in your class is helpful way to study! The people in your class bring different studying mechanisms, and they might have picked up something in the class you missed.

4.      Go to ACE for help!

ACE is a great tool to help when you are stuck in a class. The tutors have taken the class already, and will have great study tips to help you out.

5.     Know what kind of learner you are!

 Use repeated repetition (rewriting), visual learning (flash cards) and utilize different mechanisms to learn materials. Everyone learns differently, so know what works for you.

6.      Find a quiet place on campus

Don’t get distracted by loud roommates or friends. Find a quiet place like the library or Unistructure where you can really focus.

7.      Don’t wait untill the day before to study

Waiting untill the night before to study doesn’t allow you enough time to learn all the material. Make sure you are spacing out your studying.

8.      Wear a perfume while studying and wear the same one to the final

It might be a bit quirky, and isn’t a substitute for studying, but utilizing you senses can be useful and will help jog your memory during the exam. 

9.      Try not to pull all nighters

You need to be well rested so your brain is fully functional. At least six hours of sleep is recommended. Wake up early if you are studying late- everyone’s brain needs a break, even during finals.

10.     Don’t be afraid to talk to your professor and utilize office hours

Show your professor your study guide, they might tell you what you need to elaborate or focus on!

11.     Review old exams and quizzes!

Make sure you are paying attention to concepts and not small details. Teachers take into account what they have already tested you on for the final exam

12.     Space out your studying

This cannot be stressed enough

13.     Take short breaks frequently

Don’t over use your brain!

14.     Know what motivates you!

Allow yourself to take breaks while studying, but also allow this to motivate you to keep going after your break.  

15.     Test yourself or have a friend test you on the material!

Quizzing yourself on material while studying helps you figure out what you are retaining and can help you move onto new material.