The semester is coming to an end, you’ve taken midterm after midterm, and you’re just about burnt out. But wait, there’s more! You’ve got two weeks of finals! It’s daunting, I know, but hopefully a few study tips will help get you through.
1. Instead of pouring over your notes the night before your test, stagger it out in 20-30 minute increments over the course of a week or so! We’ve all been guilty of doing it, but if you’ve ever studied the right way, you know that the way to really learn isn’t to cram. You still have time to do this, so give it a go.
2. Try making a playlist to help you study. Personally, I prefer calming piano music, and plenty of people enjoy classical. If you can’t be bothered to compile one yourself, plenty of sites have playlists ready to go already! Searching “study playlists” or any variation will give you plenty of results. Here’s one that might help.
3. If you’ve been studying hard and are losing your motivation, take a quick break! Drink some water, stretch a bit, and rest your eyes from whatever you’ve been staring at. Be careful not to get carried away, though, because it’s easy to let a little break turn into hours of procrastination.
4. If you have the time, try making your notes pretty. Personally, I like to copy down the notes I have from class in less-dense, color-coded fashion. It’s easy on the eyes, it’s organized, and it’s a great way to remember what I’ve learned. When you recopy your notes, you’re picking out the information you’ll need to know from the other miscellaneous information from class.
5. Relax. You’ve got this. Stressing out won’t help you concentrate, it won’t help you take anything in, and it won’t get you that A you deserve. Stress and motivation aren’t the same thing! If you start studying feeling calm and with a game plan, you’ll have an easier time focusing and better avoid feeling overwhelmed.