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Study Tips for Finals Week

‘Tis the time of the school year when exams and final paper due dates start piling up. It can all seem overwhelming, but never fear! The best way to make studying manageable, especially towards the end of the semester, is to keep a few study tips and strategies in mind.

Here are some that you may find useful:

1. Plan ahead - don’t cram! - This is probably the best tip of all because giving yourself ample time to study can help eliminate some of the anxiety and stress that may naturally appear during exam time. Pay close attention to when tests are scheduled (make sure to mark them on a calendar!) and plan your study time accordingly. Space out your study sessions based on how many exams you have and try to be consistent with your studies.
2. Find a good place to study - While some people work best in silence, others may need some white noise or music playing in the background to help them focus. Choose a spot that will best suit your needs. If you need a quiet spot, working in some place like Starbucks, even with headphones on, may not be the best location. Also, don’t be afraid to switch up your location. A spot may work well one day but not suit your needs the next. Learn to be a bit flexible.
3. Re-read/organize your notes - The notes you took for a class a month ago may be in your own handwriting or in language you wrote yourself, but it may still seem like gibberish if you haven’t reviewed it in a while. The best way to use your notes for study purposes is to put them into categories to help make things clearer. Try something like creating a study guide by topic, rewriting your notes as needed.
4. Test yourself - Testing yourself is a good way to get a handle on how much you know about a topic. You can do that by verbalizing what you know out loud to yourself or to a study partner. You could also create a little quiz (or ask a study partner to create one for you) to see how much you know.
5. Ask questions - As you’re reviewing your notes, if something still isn’t clear or your notes aren’t detailed enough, make sure to reach out to a classmate or a professor for clarification. It’s not too late to get a better understanding of a topic that may have stumped you or that you can’t remember well enough on your own.

As you’re studying, remember that you should also take breaks here and there and get as much rest as you can in the days leading up to your test dates.

Good luck! We believe in you!