Let’s face it: finals don’t have the best reputation around College campuses, or high schools for that matter. But, they don’t have to be the hair-tearing, stress-inducing, break-down prone undertaking that so many make them out to be.
The key is moderation. Of course, you’re going to have to study at the end of the day to do well on finals, but some tips are in order on how to maximize your time on the books so you get the most for your effort.
- Start with a high-level overview: It’s always nice to have an entire schedule of your finals that you can refer back to at a glance; it’ll be easier for you to keep focused on the next test, and also keep you from worrying about forgetting anything important.
- Start with an outline of what you need to learn, and make this outline yourself. While you may be provided with one, if you can think through what you need to know on your own chances are it’ll enhance your understanding of the high-level overview of the class.
- Study in small chunks. Don’t schedule study time – it can be easy to miss one session, and then blow off adhering to your schedule. Never work for more than 45 minutes without taking a break (even if it’s a small one) and always set a time for yourself before you break – the time when you’ll drop whatever distractions you’ve found yourself in and actually get back to work. This one is critical.
- Measure your progress – it’s great to take a step back and look at your high level overview once in a while – that way you can feel great about what you’ve already done!
- Be confident and composed once the test finally comes around: by this point, you should be confident in your studying, and know that no additional time will help actually incite a change in your finally grade. Go take your test and be confident in what you’ve done, no matter the outcome.
At the end of the day (or the semester) make sure to look back at all that you’ve learned. Chances are it’ll be much more than you thought!
Fight On!
-Naish
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