Freshman year of college is a time that most of us won’t forget. From living in the dorms, meeting new friends and partying, everything is so new and exciting! Being new to the whole “college scene,” it’s often easy to get distracted and not have priorities straight when it comes to hitting the books. I am speaking from experience.
When those first exams are around the corner, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and stressed. Having been there myself, I want to share some strategies that will help you survive one of the longest weeks in college. Trust me, it’s much easier to start off with a solid GPA then to have to work up to one.
1. Get Organized EARLY – Look at your syllabus for each class. Write down the exam dates and times in your planner. (They give you free ones for a reason) This is a good visual to help you strategize your studying.
2. Go to the Review! – If your professor offers a review before the final exam, GO! Even though you’d rather be spending free time doing something else, attending the review really is beneficial. You’ll be surprised what the professor will tell about the final. Your studying will be much more focused than that of those students who didn’t go to the review.
3. Get Together a Study Group – Although some people like to study alone, I always found it helpful and more enjoyable to study with classmates. If you don’t know anyone in your class, send out a mass email to all the student users in your class. You’ll be surprised with how many responses you’ll get.
4. Change the Scenery – There are plenty of places to study at CMU. From meeting at the U.C, Park Library to studying in rooms in your dorm, switch it up a little. No matter where you choose to study, make sure the area is well-lit and organized.
5. Eat Healthy Snacks – As much as we all love junk food, instead of eating things that are full of hydrogenated oils and fats, replace them with nutritious snacks. Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water increases your cognitive function, aka you’ll be able to concentrate and focus better.
6. Give your Brain a Break – The Student Activity Center offers free fitness classes on finals weeks. Try Yoga or Pilates to help calm your mind. Both of these activities will help stretch out your legs from sitting all day studying.
7. Memorize Five Note Cards – Instead of trying to memorize 50 vocabulary words at once, try to memorize them in groups of five. Once you have a group memorized, mix up the cards and do it again. You can even make a game of it like the childhood game, “Memory.”
8. Take Advantage of Being a Freshie – Depending on where your dorm is, during finals week Residence Life offers fun/relaxing activities to help students. From pet therapy, complimentary massages, and free food, to the midnight scram the Sunday before finals begin, the university is on your side to help make finals week as less stressful as possible.
9. Get a Good Night’s Sleep – You need your 8 hours, especially during finals week. This week can be very stressful so instead of pulling an all –night cram session, go to bed early! I always found it easier to go to bed early and wake up early to do last minute studying compared to staying up all night and waking up a total zombie.
10. Eat Breakfast the Morning of the Exam – Breakfast is the MOST important meal of the day, so get to the cafe before it closes at 11:00 A.M. “Breakfast wakes up the metabolism and provides energy to the brain and muscles for the day’s activity,” according to Dietetics Spokesperson, Kristi King.