Studying…more like student dying! There seem to be zombies shambling through the library and mummies moaning in class. Nobody looks prepared for finals!
It doesn’t always have to be an apocalyptic end to the quarter, though. There are multiple strategies and tips to studying. Note-taking is to be considered the first-aid kit when it comes to finals survival. There are a couple of ways to take notes to successfully retain more information, and to not give yourself a head injury because you crammed minutes before an exam.
Pay attention
Paying attention in class is a great start. For some, paying attention in class is all the studying they need. Wish I was that type of person. Lectures can often be long and boring. Taking notes on key information while your professor is talking can keep you tuned into the lesson rather than passively listening. An active listener will jot down the key points of the lecture and use those to look back to when studying. This helps breakdown the lecture in small parts, instead of looking at it as a whole. Ask questions as soon as you do not understand something. After all, the professor is there to help you, so you might as well utilize them.
Keep it simple
When the lecture is PowerPoint-based, be smart about what you copy down. It’s not necessary to copy each slide, word for word. This helps make studying the information easier later on. Record what you absolutely need, like the headers and bullet points, and trash the rest, like long explanations or personal notes. While the lecture is going on, try to summarize what has already been said up to that point. It is easy to get flustered with information while the professor continues to talk and move on to the next slides and you are still writing notes from the previous slide. Again, don’t be afraid to ask your professor to jog back to the previous slide so as to not miss crucial points.
Color is your friend
Another tip could be to take notes down on colored paper. It may help to jog the memory. Based on a study by The University of Oklahoma found that “[h]ues that invoke arousal and excitement will influence individual abilities to recall and remember information.” Even color coding your notes will help you to study and organize information better. Having organized notes is a major component to studying. If there’s a test in the next three weeks, it’s best to start some organized notes now, rather than going back through weekend before the test and cleaning them up.
Record it
If you need to, audio record your lectures. It may be the lecture before the test that the professor is going over all the information that will be on your test. Recording this session is almost like having a study guide to the test. When you go back to study it, you can hear and understand what the professor was saying word for word. So, if you were to make a mistake writing notes or misinterpret them, you have the audio recording for reference.
A little mood music, perhaps?
Listening to music while studying may not be for all because noise can be distracting. But, for those who utilize this as a strategy to study, it is a sure motivator and energizer. An article on USA Today College, explores negatives of lyric-based songs and suggests instrumentals as a great tool for studying. The lyrics bombarding your ears can be distracting when you’re also reading words and then processing those words in your brain. But instrumental music is fantastic because it has a positive effect on the way you feel. It is a natural reaction we all have. So playing a groovy, upbeat instrumental is another tip to do some useful studying.
Related article: Six Soundtracks to Help You De-Stress this Quarter
With finals at a full moon and teachers transforming into werewolves, I wish you good luck finding a quiet corner, an open computer in the lab, productive group study sessions and the best of luck studying.