As the FSU campus begins to prepare for finals season, many students find themselves building a routine to get through the last couple of weeks before the summer break. Like midterms, finals are stressful. It’s hard to know how to manage your time, build a study schedule, or even know how to study everything you need to. Whether this is your first finals season or last, there are a couple of tips that keeping in mind can aid in having a finals season that isn’t too complicated.
Start a schedule
The most important thing you have to prepare for final exams is time. A study schedule will not only hold you accountable but will give you a way to see where your time is going. Having a schedule is a great way to time manage and pick out your strengths and weaknesses. You could start your study schedule with Notion, Google Calendar, or even just pen and paper. If you create a schedule where you have designated study times and prioritize the subjects you need the most time to study for, finals will be a breeze.
Find the best study technique for you
When you have one week of final exams, it’s important to spend your time studying the right way. You could study for hours, but without the proper technique, it won’t be as impactful. Popular study methods include the Pomodoro Method, Feynman Technique, and active memory recall studying (a personal favorite of mine) among others. Finding the best technique will help you save time and pass those exams.
Identify your strengths and weaknesses
At this point in the semester, there’s probably been a test or two in one of the subjects you have a final in. If you’re comfortable with the tests you’ve had in that subject already, you may be able to spend less time studying for that specific final. On the other hand, if you’re less comfortable with test-taking in a certain class, now is the time to go to office hours and work on the concepts you’re having trouble understanding. Many finals are worth a large portion of grade percentages, so if you identify where you need a little more help, you could be prepared for anything that exam will have.
Study, study, and study some more
The final exams for your classes require that you learn or even relearn the material. There’s no other thing more important than making sure you are well-prepared for these exams! Study as much as you can and as much as you need to learn whatever is in your study guide. If you must review material from the beginning of the semester, focus on the concepts that you still get a couple of questions wrong on or don’t fully understand.
The next few weeks will be a busy time for most students on the Florida State campus. Just know that if you’re nervous for finals, someone sitting next to you in class, at the library, or even walking past you on Landis Green is probably feeling the same way. Your finals season is up to you; stay confident, study hard, and manage your time for a successful end of another semester at Florida State University.
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