Finals, and projects and tests.. oh my!
The end of the school year is exciting and full of possibilities. Summer waits for you expectantly around the corner, coaxing you as you tiptoe towards the finish line. The only thing between you and the end of the year: finals.
Finals can feel overwhelming and daunting at times, but with a few simple tips, there is nothing to fear!
Prioritize to survive.
When heading into finals week, it is important to take a step back and analyze your workload before starting any studying at all! Lay out when all your tests/projects are due and how much work you expect to be needed for preparation of each. You can then make a detailed calendar of how you can slot in your studying over the next few days. Don’t forget to exercise, eat good food, and make time to talk to loved ones. Sometimes even a 15-minute break can make the next 3 hours of studying more productive.
You need to know what you don’t know.
It might seem a bit backward, but sometimes starting at the final product: a practice test, can be the most helpful way to prioritize your study time. By taking a practice test first, you can go through and analyze your results. Look for constant themes of questions that were challenging (even if you lucked into getting them correct) as well as answers you got wrong. By identifying these themes, you can focus your study time on these problem areas.
Talk it out, change it up
Long days of studying can sometimes blend into one mass of information swirling around your brain. Changing locations, mediums, study partners, or even the color ink in your pen can help your brain to differentiate from one moment to another. When pulling into your memory bank for the right answer, this can help your brain locate the right choice!
Office hours exist for a reason
One of the biggest cheat codes of college is office hours with a professor. These sessions not only can be helpful to get your own questions answered but will also help you engage with your peers. Hearing someone else’s question, or even helping someone answer it can be incredibly advantageous.
Anxiety is completely normal!
It is completely normal to feel anxious when preparing for or when you are about to take a test. An hour before your test, try to stop studying to allow your brain to clear and your body to relax. Try taking a walk, hydrating, or eating a balanced meal to get your brain in motion. Remember, test-taking is like a marathon for your brain. Always take 1 or 2 deep breaths before you start the test. You’ve got this!
