Tis the season for final exams! As hard as it might be to believe, another semester is ending, and exams and projects are stacking up before us all. With the daunting task of completing multiple finals looming, I want to share with you my best organization tips to set yourself up for the best finals week possible!
- Step 1: Pre-Plan your week
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So maybe you haven’t seen your planner in weeks (or months) but it’s time to dig it up and dust that thing off! The first thing I do when beginning my preparations for finals week is write down the time, location, and subject of every single final I have. Then in a different color (if you are into color coordination) write down anything else you have going on that week (work, extracurriculars, etc.) so that you can look at the big picture of what your week is going to look like. This helps you see what finals/subjects you should prioritize and study for first as well as remind you that finals only last a week and you will survive this.
- Step 2: Organize your stuff!
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If you are anything like me, the semester starts off with tabbed binders and cute notebooks but by this point in the semester everything is everywhere, and you aren’t quite sure what is and isn’t in your backpack. Well it’s never too late to try and get back to where we started the semester, so the next step is to clean up and clear out all the loose papers, quizzes, pencils, and pens. Having a neat backpack and organized classwork allows you to be able to find everything you need when it comes time to study and can even help your mind feel less cluttered as everything is in its place.
- Step 3: Make a study plan of attack!
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Once you have everything organized and ready to go, you are ready to start studying (or at least to make a plan a start). I use my planner to map out what my study plan is going to look like, usually based on how many days I have before my finals start and then between each final in order to gauge when I should start studying for each final. This helps me not end up cramming 2-3 finals into one night of endless studying, creating a balance between my studying and my breaks. Planning allows me to know what is ahead of me, breaking it down into manageable sections that also make my studying the most effective it can be and guaranteeing I feel ready for my exams!
So best of luck to everyone on exams and remember that with the end of exams comes a well-deserved break!