Ever since I was a kid, just the thought of finals sent me into a nervous frenzy. I’ve always been intimidated by the idea of trying to relearn an entire semester’s worth of information- and not just for one class, but for all of them.
This year I finally decided I’m done with spending the last months of school stressing about finals (instead of just preparing!) simply because I’m not sure how to actually get myself ready.
Thankfully, I came across the University of Pennsylvania’s guide to creating a finals study schedule, and I found some tips that are going to make this finals season run a lot smoother.
The most important tip I found was to plan ahead on the tasks you actually need to get done. I’m sure I’m not the only one who gets intimidated when I open my planner and see “study” on my to-do list. Instead, break down your studying into the specific tasks you need to do to prepare, whether it’s reviewing class notes, making flashcards, doing problem sets, or watching videos. Seeing your study outline with more tangible tasks will make you much more likely to get started on your review rather than pushing work off any longer.
(Another tip- according to UPenn, the best way to study is to spend 30% of your time reviewing, and 70% on practice problems. Make sure you feel comfortable actually solving problems on your own. Don’t fall into the trap of letting yourself think you understand problems, but getting stuck when forced to do them on your own.)
UPenn says the best way to organize your time is in an hourly schedule, but make sure you’re being realistic when making one! Don’t forget to schedule in time for breaks, meals, and sleep. Write these breaks into your schedule so that when you take them, you can remind yourself you’re not getting sidetracked, you’re just following your study plan. This provides a more encouraging approach that will help you jump back into studying when your break is over, especially if you know another one is coming soon!
Good luck with your final exam season- I’ll be trying these tips out as well! Let’s finish this year on a strong note- continuing to update our study habits and putting in all our effort into these last few weeks to end in the best place we can!