It seems hard to believe that it’s already December, which means finals season is coming up. Especially for first-years, this period may be a uniquely stressful experience. The good news is that there is still some time to prepare. Here are some strategies to help pull through the last stretch for this fall semester.
- Write out your upcoming assignments on a calendar
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One great thing to have throughout college is a weekly planner. Start to enter into your planner all your upcoming assignments and their due dates to have a better idea of how to prioritize and work through various tasks.
- Do a little bit every day
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In addition to the weekly planner, prepare a daily one as well. Every day, write down a few items that you want to accomplish based on what you planned so that you won’t have to cram everything at the last minute.
- Review the lecture notes
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Especially if the exam is cumulative, it may be useful to start from the beginning of the semester and give yourself a refresher of the critical points. It may sound annoying digging through all the notes from months ago, but reworking and reviewing will help you remember important information that you may have forgotten as the semester progressed.
- Study together
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Having a study group can be helpful. You will need to make sure you don’t get distracted if you’re with your friends, but studying together can help you reinforce some key points that you might not fully grasp but that others in your group understand.
- Review the syllabus and find out the format of the final
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Every course is different, so it would be essential to know what to expect. If the course is essay-based, try to compile outlines. For an exam-based course, look at past midterms and sample tests to get a better sense of how to prepare. Regardless of the type of exam, knowing the format can help with the preparation process.
- Attend office hours and talk to your professors and TAs
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If you have questions, seek advice from others. Don’t just panic. Look through the textbook and ask your professor and TA for guidance. You could even explain an idea to them and see if anything is missing from the explanation. If there is, go back and review that section.
- Eat and sleep well
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You might be surprised at how important it is to sleep and eat well. Sleeping well helps your brain retain any information obtained from studying. Avoid pulling all-nighters, given those might leave you feeling drained and tired, which decreases the overall quality of your studying.
The finals season could be stressful, but you have made it so far. Have faith in yourself, and you got this!