This spring semester has gone by faster than ever before. Before we know it, the last week of the school year will be here and the stress of finals will be in full swing. I’ve learned that during finals it is more important than ever to stay motivated and committed to doing well on the last few exams of the semester. Below are a few tips I have compiled which will help you be as productive as possible during this last portion of the semester. Follow these guidelines and you’ll be on the perfect path to earn that 4.0 GPA!
1. Make Lists
The more you plan ahead, the less likely you will fall into a terrible procrastination habit. When I’m busy, I like to make a list of what I need to get done. I write down everything from studying for my biggest exam of the semester, getting my haircut or even going to lunch with friends. Writing everything down does not allow for me to forget about an important event or leave it to last minute to study. Write down which tasks are most important and which tasks are least important. The more you prioritize your list the more productive you will be.
2. Take Study Breaks
To get the most out of your study session, make sure you take breaks along the way. It’s better to study hard for 45 minutes and take breaks every so often than it is to study for 3 hours straight and only grasp 1/2 of the material. Make sure you dedicate these 45 minutes or so strictly to studying. Keep your phone away and get off Facebook and Twitter. Once your 45 minutes are up, reward yourself with a phone call, walk, social media, or whatever you deem relaxing. If you have trouble controlling your Internet use, use a website called Self Control. This app allows you to block websites like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc. for a specific period of time. This is a great resource if you have no self-control when it comes to the Internet.
3. Study With Friends
As long as your friends are not huge distractions, make an effort to study with them for an upcoming exam. There’s not better way to study than interacting with your peers. Teach your friends information that they don’t know and have them teach you something in exchange. Sometimes its great to hear your friends exaplain information differently than your textbook or your professor.
4. Find Other Study Places
It gets boring when you study in the library hour after hour, day after day. Keep yourself entertained and study in different areas. If you like the library, change up the floor you study on every so often. Is your favorite floor the fourth? Change the table you go to on the fourth floor every day. Instead of the library, check out your study lounge in your dorm. Try looking for an open classroom in your favorite building or a small café on campus.
5. Get up an hour earlier
Has it ever hit midnight and all you could think about is how you wish you had extra time to catch up on work or study for your exam? A great way to make the most out of your day is to get up a little earlier than usual. Instead of getting up at noon on a Saturday, try getting up around eleven o’clock. You’ll still have plenty of sleep and even have an extra hour of the day to catch up on work or take a break and go to the gym.
I hope all these little tips and tricks are helpful during these last few weeks of the semester. Good luck getting that 4.0!