Finals are arguably the hardest part of the school year, and we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to do well. You might find yourself slipping a bit this semester, but not to worry! I have a list of effective tricks to get your GPA back on track.
Make a To-Do list.
This is perfect for when you’re unsure of where to start studying. Create a to-do list at the beginning of every study day in order of importance so you know what you need to be prioritizing. Personally, I keep an agenda with all my important dates as well as the things I want to accomplish that day.
There is always something satisfying about crossing something off of your list.
Put the social media away!
You need to stop checking your phone every 15 minutes – a personal struggle of mine. Try turning it off and putting it on the other side of room. I like to shut my phone off so that I won’t be distracted by any incoming notifications.
Better yet – set app restrictions on your phone so that you are only allowed on social media apps for a certain amount of time each day.
Procrastinating is (sometimes) A-OK.
Procrastination is almost an inevitable part of studying, but it doesn’t always have to be a bad thing. It is okay to procrastinate as long as you are filling that time with something productive. While you’re putting off your chemistry homework try cleaning up your room or doing you laundry.
If by putting off your schoolwork you end up doing something you benefit from, then you’re helping yourself regardless. You have one less thing to do today! So, by the time you complete that filler task maybe you will be in the right mindset to jump back into your schoolwork.
For example, I procrastinate my schoolwork by writing Her Campus articles!
Try different study methods.
If you are like me, when something doesn’t work the first time you go about it the exact same way but “better” this time. Spoiler – it doesn’t change a thing!
If the way you studied the material the first time didn’t work, it is highly unlikely it will work a second time. This would be the perfect moment to switch up your study methods and figure out what works best for this course. There are plenty of options; flashcards, rewriting your notes, reading through your textbook, recording yourself reading your notes and playing them back, or even re-watching lectures can all be helpful techniques.
Study in groups.
One of strongest assets you have are the people around you. Gathering with some people in the same course as you and review the material together. Have them test your knowledge and also build your understanding by explaining it to other people!
Give yourself breaks.
You can only study for so long without burning out. I like to set myself timers to let me know when I can stop and take a 15-minute break before resuming my studies. If you have a low attention span, try studying for smaller periods of time but more efficiently.
