25 crucial study tips for finals week
If you are freaking out about final exams – but really, who isn’t? – it’s important to keep calm and study on. The following list will help you get organized and identify effective learning strategies you can use to ace your exams. Find your favorites and try something new if your current techniques are not producing results.
- Create a master to-do list and a schedule for the remaining days in the semester. Break cumulative exams into smaller study units, which will prevent you from feeling overwhelmed and help you monitor your progress daily.
- Just get started. Don’t wait until you feel like studying.
- Review your notes daily.
- Identify the format of the exam. Vary your study technique according to the type of exam.
- Predict possible questions. Review old tests, study guides or the course objectives.
- Answer questions you didn’t know the first time. If the exam is cumulative and you struggled to master any material, return to it.
- Meet with the professor, a tutor or a learning specialist if needed.
- Develop summary sheets for each class.
- Link new information to things you already know. Forming these associations will help you retrieve information later.
- Check the front of your textbook to see if the publisher provides any online study aids.
- Set specific measurable goals for each study session to keep yourself on track.
- Create mnemonic devices, such as acrostics, rhymes or acronyms, to help you remember information.
- Take short breaks. Your brain can process a limited amount of information and benefits from some rest.
- Reward yourself with naturally enjoyable activities, such as playing X-box or clicking through Facebook.
- Stay healthy. Get some sleep and avoid caffeine. Seriously – your brain with thank you.
- Draw it. Create tables, diagrams, mind maps or pictures to represent and organize the information.
- Explain it aloud. Go into an empty classroom and pretend to teach the material to someone. Using your own words helps you assess your comprehension, which ultimately aids your memory.
- Study in a distraction-reduced environment. Turn off your cell phone, TV and email notifications.
- Identify examples or illustrations that embody the concept and demonstrate ways you will utilize the information.
- Attempt to answer the questions at the end of the chapter in your textbook.
- Quiz yourself. Cover up your notes and try to explain them. Create flashcards. If you find yourself struggling to remember, try different techniques to learn the material.
- Form a study group and develop a practice test together.
- Manage your anxiety. By listening to calming music, stretching or breathing deeply, you can avoid stress and release negative thoughts.
- Overlearn the material. When you think you are finished, keep going.
- Finally, examine your beliefs about learning. It does not happen quickly and intelligence is not fixed. Stay positive and persist, believing that talent can be developed. You can learn material by working hard, seeking help and using effective strategies.
