Study Like a Rockstar

Hey! It’s that time of year: FINALS. You are probably wondering where the time went. How will you manage to scramble to get everything together for your Finals Week!

Here is a compiled list of things you can do to get ready for your Week of Finals!

Your syllabus:

   Hope you remembered to store that thing away in a good spot- because you are gonna need it!  If you have an instructor that provided a full layout of the semester, then use it to organize your notes. Associating your notes with the week/topic found on the syllabus can help you when you are reviewing content over the next few weeks.

Copy Notes:

      Some classes are often taught like a bullet train- you get in there, you jot down all the content you can, -and at remarkable speed- then you get out. You may find yourself with a lump of notes at least 3” tall by the end of the semester- I have.  

      A month or so before the exam, begin copying your notes and condensing the information and organizing them into one notebook- make sure when you copy your notes that they are also in a fashion that clearly shows organization, it will help for when you have Review Days.

Plan Ahead:

  Know the BIG DAY:   You know in advance when the exam is, why not plan accordingly? Use that syllabus to plan how the remainder of the semester will be spent. It is understandable that you have other things to do- activities, work, other classes to study for, and you can’t forget that laundry you’ve left piling up for a week- but, if you plan ahead, you won’t stress as much. It is still likely that you will feel overwhelmed during these next few weeks, but now you can feel less overwhelmed.

     Know the  BIG STUFF:   

- PRIORITIZE BASED ON TASKS

If you know that there is a class that is only expecting an essay- and you don’t have to do as much for it compared to that cumulative exam, prioritize as such. Make a list of all the classes you have, and write down what the final is going to be like. Writing it all down will help you clearly see how you need to prioritize  your classes. If you have a short story to write, start early so that you can use it  as something to creatively do between study breaks.

- PRIORITIZE BASED ON EXPECTATION.

Be sure to know what the style of the final is. If you have a regular exam for the final, then that class may not have as high of a priority as the class that is having a cumulative exam at the end of the semester and you don’t get notes. Be sure to check the syllabus or ask the professor if the final is a project, multiple choice, Free Response or a Research Essay.

    

Know your KRYPTONITE:

Just like knowing when the BIG DAY is, and knowing the BIG STUFF, “one must know thy kryptonite”-   In other words: know where you struggle is. It may help to write down the courses and the grade you have in that class. Not only will you know how hard you have to work for that grade, but if it is already at the grade you want, you can remind yourself to relax. It is all up to how you feel about the class, but seriously, prioritizing will be good.

Take Care of Yourself:

     Don’t Pull All-Nighters:  

They are damaging to your overall GPA. This will not help you if you choose to do this before an exam. At a certain point, your brain will turn to mush and you won’t remember the content on Exam Day, because you didn’t allow your brain to dream about all that amazing content. So it couldn’t have possibly stored away all that nomenclature and chemical formula information for polyatomic ions! Getting a good night’s rest is very important, try to get around 8 hours of sleep.    

      Exercise:  

Be sure to get up and run around! (Not quite literally- if you don’t want to). Being physically active will release endorphins- the happy-hormone- and you will feel better overall. Then when you go back to hitting the books you can be focused! Running, having a snowball fight with friends or going down to the yoga studio will calm you, get you focused and ready to tackle that next pile of homework!

     Eat Well & Drink Water!  

Not only do you need to release those endorphins into your body to plow through more homework, you also need to remember to eat well and drink water. Eating right can replace the many coffee runs and jittery crashes, it will also just flat out make you feel good to eat a yogurt, pasta or an awesome sandwich. Drinking plenty of water will ensure that your brain cells are full and fat, which in turn will keep you alert and you will be able to skip those coffee-runs and jittery-crashes.

    Take Breaks

While you may think that studying for three hours straight is a good thing, it is possible that it won’t do for you. Try mandating the breaks you take and the period you study for. Consistently study WITHOUT DISTRACTIONS for  45 minutes and take a break for 30- be sure to come back when you are done studying (example).

Review Days:

     You already know to copy your notes, eat well, drink right and to plan your next month in accordance with the Almighty Syllabus. NOW you must review said content. Copying the notes reminds you of the semester- especially what happened way back in September- reviewing this many, many, many times throughout the rest of the semester will help you know the content without your notes.

     Some professors do not allow open-notes, and textbook during exam. If you have been reviewing around 3 times a week for the last 3-4 weeks, then you don’t have to worry about spacing out about something right as you walk through the door! If you are allowed to use your notes and textbook, this also helps because then you don’t have to spend time scanning your notes from the semester, waiting for the right page to turn up.

     Exactly one week before the exam, Review the content every night EXCEPT for the night before the exam. Odds are you have memorized this content and are so familiar with this subject that you feel like a rockstar! So treat yourself like one. The night before the exam, just have fun with friends, read a book, study or work on homework for another class or just plain relax. You don’t want to start mixing up facts in your head after all that work- so give the night off.

Here are some pictures for your own sanity.... go ahead and laugh at me,....I am willing to give you a good laugh break at my expense.

So ready for a break...

Good luck!