The most dreaded but most anticipated time of the year is upon us – finals week and the end of the school year! During this time it is important to remember that this week is only as hard as you make it. Studying for finals and working on final projects or papers should not start the week of, but rather at least one week before. Most final exams are cumulative, meaning they will cover the entire course content you have been learning since day one, so do you really want to go over the past 16 weeks of material for 4+ courses? Sounds like quite a few all nighters. Giving yourself a week long headstart will allow you to do a couple things:
- Refresh your mind because chances are you do not even remember what was on the first exam
- Connect all the dots to see the thread of connections that will explain how what you learned in week one is also applicable to week 15
- Talk to your professors!! Set up appointments and go to office hours to go over any questions you may have whether they are about the course content, grades, or studying tips for so much information
- Overall, you will have a better long-term retention of the information if you are going over it for 7+ days.
- Create study groups with people because the longer you wait, the busier everyone gets
The same rule applies here as it does to many of my previous posts; if you stay ahead you will never get behind, which is the key to success in college. It is also important to note that to prevent any mental burnout or challenges, take advantage of taking breaks while you are studying. Most universities will have special events, activities, and resources students may utilize during the tiring finals week and this is important to emerge yourself in as a reward. For example, my university’s Campus Ministry department offers “Ball Pit Chats” where students go into a massive ball pit and just talk about anything going on. This gives you a chance to get away from your computer, interact with people, and get the stress out. So, during finals week I hope you already have most of your studying under your belt and take care of yourself! Good luck and happy summer!☀️