Collegiettes, the end is nearly upon us. The end of the spring semester I mean! Yes we are finally at the last stretch of the year where the long awaited anticipation of summer begins to nag us at the back of our minds thus making us suffer from the procrastination plague.
Finals week is one of the most stressful times of the semester, following midterms. The time where students spent most of their money on coffee, energy drinks, and the inevitable loss of sleep. While this is a good time to be working for Starbucks for the rise in profits, in a nutshell, it is hell in a week.
The most ideal way to get cramming and to reduce stress is to study now. Right now. Go away and start studying. However, if you want to learn how you can study and still have fun, continue reading.
I simply cannot stress enough how making a study schedule can help. The best way to study and retain information is by studying for 45 minutes with a 10 minute break in between periods. I personally follow no such constraint. My fellow peers and I have an almost fool-proof way to study. If your teacher has graciously uploaded lecture slides online, download!
We break it down by finding out how many slides are per lecture and from there we decide how many lectures to go through. We generally go through three presentations – roughly 40 slides each – before calling a break to binge watch a show on Netflix for two hours. Swiftly after, we re-read the notes we just finished taking and quiz each other. Do this repeatedly; you have finished an entire month’s worth of studying in roughly two days.
However, being inside all day is not ideal, just as the idea of studying is not. An iconic and highly relevant line from Stephen King’s The Shining is: “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” We highly encourage that students take breaks every day in between studying. What to do with the few hours of freedom in between studying you might ask? Well we have a few suggestions.
Going to see a movie is a great way to get away from books for at least two hours. Some great flicks to catch are Captain America: The Winter Soldier – a highly anticipated sequel and quite honestly, staring at Chris Evan’s chiseled face for two hours should melt away all fears and stress. Other films include: Only Lovers Left Alive, Transcendence, and The Other Woman.
Alternatively to movies, study breaks that will get you energized again so you can relax are bowling, taking a swim break at the pool, and having a nice picnic at the Rez with your fellow girlfriends.
Regardless of how you choose to handle your study habits and preparations for finals week, always keep in mind that no matter what, you gave it your best shot and you as a student are more than a GPA. If it helps, study as if Ryan Gosling if waiting for you when you finish your test ;)