6 Tips on How to Prepare for Finals

By Lauren Haan on April 17, 2018

The end of the semester is quickly approaching and it will be here before you know it. That being said, there are things you can do right now in order to finish the semester strong and to help you not get overwhelmed come finals. Waiting until the last minute to study and finish assignments is NEVER a good idea, so if you have some assignments looming over you that you have been putting off all semester or if you are preparing for exams, follow these steps and succeed this finals week.

via Pixabay.com

1. Start early

There’s no better time than the present, so when you get a minute or two, check out everything you have left to do for the rest of the semester and write it down in your agenda, on your calendar, or make a to-do list. It’s important to check all of your classes’ syllabi and write down your assignments because you do not want to forget something. A recent study found that writing information down actually improves your ability to remember it. Not only will you be less likely to forget about assignments once you write them down, but all of your assignments will be conveniently located in one place that will be easy to reference.

Once you have figured out what you need to do and when assignments must be completed by, start them. Don’t waste time putting them off! This is especially important if you don’t have any major assignments due during the weeks before finals. Rather than watching Netflix and waiting until the last minute to complete everything, start early and space out your work days. Trust me, you will appreciate being able to have breaks later on.

2. Create your own study guides

Go through class notes and/or textbooks and create your own study guide including all of the important information you need to know. This will be helpful because when it comes time to study, you have it all in one place. You won’t waste any time flipping through old notes or large textbooks. From the study guide you create, you can re-take notes, use a whiteboard to quiz yourself, or create flashcards. All of these methods are great for helping you memorize information. I personally like to memorize information in small chunks; once I have it saved in my brain, I’ll memorize another chunk of information. Once you have memorized everything, go back and quiz yourself. Highlight the information you had trouble recalling and focus on learning that!

3. Attend review/study sessions

While it may be obvious why this one is important, it is worth noting that you should attend any and all review/study sessions! Whether you have questions or not, or understand the information or not, it is good to go because your professor will most likely go over what will be covered on the exam. Also, it is likely that your peers may ask questions that you had not thought of. Overall, review/study sessions are a great way to begin studying and while it may be difficult to motivate yourself to go, it will be worth it in the end when you ace your exams.

4. Attend class your final weeks

At this point in the semester, it’s not uncommon for students to feel burnt out and not care anymore. However, don’t fall into this trap! While it can be hard to stay motivated, you have made it this far so don’t give up. Make sure to go to all of your final classes and be present and intentional. Not only does skipping class in college waste money, but it is also likely that you will miss important information about content and specific assignments. Making yourself go to class will also make you save time studying later because you will have information solidified in your brain and you will up and ready to tackle the rest of your assignments as well.

5. Stay well-rested

If you don’t do anything else on this list, at least make sure to stay well-rested! Sleep is important because it helps your brain work properly. If you don’t get enough of it, there is no way you will be able to do well in school. It can be tempting to stay up late and enjoy what little time you have left with your friends, but make sure to get enough sleep and plan your assignments so you don’t find yourself pulling all-nighters come finals week!

6. Find a hobby

Rather than taking study breaks by doing something mindless such as watching TV., Netflix, or Hulu; do something that you enjoy that also requires some brain power. By finding a hobby that you enjoy, you will relieve stress and relax as well as keep your brain engaged which is very important because it will be easier to return to studying compared to if you had done something mindless. This is because when you engage in a hobby, you increase your knowledge by building new skills, challenge yourself, and avoid wasting time. When you engage in a hobby, it is also likely that you will socialize with people who enjoy the same things which can also help improve your study breaks!

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