If you’re on the quarter system, it’s that time of the year where finals are on your mind. If you’re on the semester system, good for you for clicking on an article about finals already – you’re one step ahead! Either way, it’s never too early to start figuring out how to prepare for your finals. It’s so easy to procrastinate and do everything last minute, but think about how much easier your life would be if you put a little more thought into your studying process. In no more than three minutes, read these scientifically-proven tips so you can get that A!
1. Study before going to bed
This might surprise you, but it can actually help to study right before you go to sleep, especially when you are tired. Studies have shown that when you are at your sleepiest, your brain is able to retain more information and skills. This phenomenon is known as sleep-learning! Sleep is super important for your brain to function and for memory formation. Thus, when you study before going to bed, your brain will be able to retain more by refining the memory of what you just learned in your sleep. Even if you’re tired, power through – it’s a critical time to study! However, remember to never trade sleep for studying. Someone once told me the phrase, “sleep more than you study, study more than you party, and party as much as possible!” It’s all about balance.
2. Practice active recall
Active recall is scientifically proven to be an effective way to learn information before a test. Active recall, also called the testing effect, implies you spend some of your time studying remembering what it is you learned, such as testing yourself on questions regarding your area of study. A good way to do this is through flashcards, or simply allotting time after you study to write down everything you remember, and then checking what you missed. Remember to study your concepts as a whole, so you are able to remember how everything connects rather than only specific terms or ideas. This might require a learning curve that discourages you from the process, but it’s worth the struggle! Everyone who practices active recall, loves active recall.
3. Study for shorter periods over a longer period of time
While some people may be able to ace a final by cramming in long hours the night before the test, this clearly is not a healthy or very successful practice. Although nobody wants to do it, start studying weeks in advance for your finals (you should already be on it!) so you are able to retain information and truly memorize it. By stretching out your study time, this means you can allot a shorter period of time to study each day as well. Not only will this help you not burn out or rush to learn everything in a long, strenuous study session, but it will also help you be less stressed and more focused on what you have to learn. Start working this method into your daily life ASAP, and trust, you’ll thank yourself after.
4. try being the teacher
It’s time to become the professor, and not the student! Research has shown that students have a better memory and understanding of information as well as a greater ability to recall when they are expected to teach that information to someone else. By taking on the role of a teacher, you might unconsciously learn concepts in a way that is more organized and easier for the brain to digest, as that will help your ‘students’ learn as well. Grab a friend, especially if they’re in your class, and try teaching them everything you have learned in a way that they can understand. Inadvertently, you’ll end up teaching yourself! Great job, professor Your Name. Similarly, you can try out the Feynman Technique, in which you write down the subject of study and then try to explain it simply and in your own words before going to your notes to find the correct answer. Either way, being the student is out and teaching is in!
5. Remember the forgetting curve
The curve of forgetting, also related to spaced repetition, demonstrates that after creating a memory, you gradually forget it more and more over time. This applies to studying, as after learning something in lecture or class, you retain a higher percentage of the information the day after, and that percentage lowers with every passing day. The forgetting curve really serves to prove how ineffective cramming before a test is. So, instead of procrastinating, try interval studying; study a lot following your lecture, spread out the hours in which you study throughout the week, and you will gradually have to study the concept less as time goes on. This concept is actually way more time efficient and will greatly improve your ability to recall information.
6. Exercise before studying
This may be a more well known concept, but if you didn’t know, exercising during the day or right before studying can actually help you learn. Exercising sends oxygen and nutrients into your brain, literally boosting your brainpower in terms of improving your memory and cognitive performance! Take a quick walk or hit the gym if you’re not in the mood to crack open that practice test, so when you do, you will be more alert and attentive than before. Exercising helps you destress and also releases endorphins, generally improving your mood so you are in a better mindset to learn. It can also be a good excuse to take a break during your busy days of studying, ultimately only benefiting you!
All of these tips can easily be interwoven into your current study plan, so try them out. Good luck with your finals!