It’s that time of the year again: finals week, and I know it can be rough on everyone involved. So here are a few ways to get through it with minimal trauma.
Always bring a pencil/scantron/bluebook/whatever you think you might need to your exam. I know it sounds like a lot, but really, you’re going to want to think about what you need before you leave and make sure to pack it. It really sucks when you get to an exam and you realize that you’ve forgotten a pencil or paper or something that you need to take the exam with.
Don’t stress too much. This sounds harder than it actually is. Remember that a final exam isn’t everything; it’s just another exam that you WILL pass. Just have some confidence in yourself; it’s just another test. If you catch yourself feeling stressed to the max, maybe take a walk or call your mom. You could also just go eat some food with your friends to help clear your head.
Study. That’s all I can say. You have to study to get a good grade in most classes. Of course, grades aren’t everything, but they are nice to get. But don’t over-study, you know, steadily studying for days and days. When I do that I begin to over think the material that I was supposed to remember in the first place. Don’t over think. If you can’t find answers yourself, or you need help with the material, email the people in your class to see if one of them can help you study or answer your question. Or even, you can phone a friend who can flip though your book with you and help you find the answer. Remember when you get into the test: you will remember what you have studied.
Don’t procrastinate. It will ruin your life. I know you think you can do a whole project and two papers in one night, and you probably can, but you will pay for it the next day, and so will your grades. It’s better to pace yourself, and if you have to study for an exam, then do it the day before, but if you think you’ll need more than a few hours of studying to pass, then you should probably start a couple of days before your exam.
It’s okay to not be okay. Exams are stressful, I’m not going to lie about it, but the important thing is to manage your stress into something useful. Otherwise, you’ll just be a blob of stress that can’t focus, and those never helped anything.
Okay, so what have we learned? Bring materials, yes that means scantron, pencil, paper, calculator, blue book, etc. Also, try not to be a ball of stress, maybe take a walk to help or something. Be sure to study, studying helps everything. Asking for help is okay, and not being okay is okay.