You did it! You finally made it to the end of the semester. You can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but there’s still something in your way. Oh yeah… final exams. Final exam week is one of the most stressful weeks of the semester. Students basically move into the library, pull all-nighters, and live off caffeine. However, there are ways to make this week a lot less dramatic.
- Cumulative or non-cumulative? – Confirm with your professor what kind of exam you are having. Are you covering all the material you learned over the semester or, just the material since midterms? Knowing what you’re being tested on is the first step to begin studying for your exam.
- Make flash cards – Organize your study guides, any past tests, lecture notes and textbook notes when you begin studying. My favorite study resource to use is Quizlet and I have used it since I was a freshman. Quizlet helps me organize all my notes which makes studying a whole lot easier. I can star terms that I’m having a hard time learning and then go over those terms separately. The best part about Quizlet is that you can download the app which makes it easy to study on the go.
- Office hours – Hopefully you’ve been to your professor’s office hours earlier in the semester! However, there’s no better way to get help on a difficult subject than to visit your professor or TA during office hours.
- Study groups – This might not work for everyone but studying in groups is a great way to go over class material. Maybe one person understands a concept that another doesn’t and can help that person out. However, make sure to stay on task. With many people in a study group, it’s easy to get off task and stop studying completely.
- Rest and relax – Don’t be so sleep deprived that you risk sleeping through your exam. Value your body and make sure to set aside some time to relax. Don’t be afraid to take study breaks when you have to. Organize your pens and pencils prior to the exam. Doing small tasks can help you relax before a big exam. Most importantly, make sure to get some sleep…or at least take a nap! And just remember that before you know it, you’ll be on break!
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