I don’t know about you, but as soon as I read Harry Potter, I immediately wanted to be Hermione. I still want to be Hermione if we’re being honest here. Unfortunately, I missed my letter to Hogwarts so I can’t be a Dark Magic slaying BAMF like her, but I can try to match her studious study habits. Here are some study tips inspired by Hermione to use during finals (no magic required!):
Do the reading Hermione never arrived to class without reading the material to be covered in class. While it might be too late in the semester to do all the reading you skipped, it is worth it to look over the syllabus and study guide (if you have one) to determine which reading is the most important. You don’t have to read everything if you read smart. Only skim the info you’re comfortable with. Focus on the chapters that you are most confused about, didn’t go to class for, or will be emphasized on the test.
Don’t feel bad about asking for help Hermione struggled in 6th year potions, but could have saved a lot of her troubles if she asked Harry (with the Half Blood Prince’s book) for help. If you are feeling confused about a concept that is going to be on the final, reach out to someone for help. You could go to the tutoring centers on campus, your professor’s office hours, or ask the smart kid that sits next to you. Remember, asking for help doesn’t make you any less brilliant, in fact, it actually shows that your smart enough to acknowledge your weaknesses.
Use your time wisely Hermione refused to stop studying even through all of the excitement of the Triwizard Tournament. During finals you are going to be faced with a multitude of distractions. It is important to remember your priorities and stand strong amongst the lure of holiday parties and late night pizza runs. Your friends will understand that writing your essay is more pressing that going ice skating. That being said, don’t completely shut yourself in and take breaks every once in awhile. You deserve it.