It’s that time again. The time when students across college campuses are sweating coffee as they stay up all night cramming for their final exams. Here are a few tips that just might have you more rested and a lot less stressed.
1. Make A Game Plan
I know just the thought of finals can make you want to crawl back into bed, but if you take just 10-15 minutes to plan out when you’re gonna study for each exam, it’ll take off so much of that stress. If you really want to get fancy, plan out how much time a day your willing to study for each exam.
2. Start Early
This tip here is sometimes harder to do than the actual studying. And that’s fair. It requires you to find that little bit of extra motivation to get sh*t done, but it is so worth it. Not only will you be more prepared when exam day comes, but you won’t feel as much of that nervous stress that creeps up on finals week.
3. Go Through Your Notes and Highlight
Some people discourage from highlighting your notes, but done right, highlighting can be super helpful. The best way to do it, is to use one highlighter for things you definitely think are going to be on the exam and then using another for things that might be on it and are less important. Then you can use these notes to create a solid, but not too overwhelming study guide.
4. Give Yourself Breaks
I’m not going to lie, studying for finals is really going to take it out of you, but having little breaks here and there will make it bearable. If you study for an hour straight, there’s nothing wrong with rewarding yourself with a 15 minute break to just chill out. Pro-tip: If you’re doing marathon studying, incorporating snack breaks is the best through it.
5. Make It Fun
I’m sure you’re think how the f**** am I supposed to make studying for finals fun, just stay with me on this one. Something that always helps me is to study with friends, but not just study with friends around you, that can just lead to procrastination. Actively study with friends who are taking the same class by quizzing each other or pretending to teach them. It sounds a little dumb at first, but it’s a lot better than just trying to figure something out by yourself in your room.
All these tips are super easy to incorporate into the weeks leading up to finals, and I assure you it’ll help you ace whatever exam. Sure “C’s get degrees,” but with a little added effort you can do better than a passing grade. So remember to be proactive and start studying ASAP one step at a time, especially the exams you’re dreading the most.
Good luck kids!