With 6 semesters of college under my belt, I still dread end of the semester exams and projects. This year, I have the most finals I have had at one time this semester, five exams. Not to mention that the courses I am enrolled in this semester are all extremely challenging. There will be no easy A’s this semester but I am still determined to get all A’s.
A finals technique to master, whether you are a freshman or a senior, is to learn how to effectively cope with finals stress.
To avoid cramming, it is important to schedule time to focus on studying. Commit to sitting down and writing out a schedule or use a scheduling phone application. Set feasible and specific goals. For example instead of planning to spend three hours on economics, spend three hours on reading and outlining two chapters in your economics textbook.
Avoid stressful people during finals. Their stress will only add to yours. Keep this in mind when deciding to study with others as well. Will studying with overly nervous Angie really help you to comprehend the calculus material any better? Say no to people that want to take up your time. This is something I still struggle with. With finals come a lot of deadlines and people often want you to re-read something for them or assist them in some way. Minimize time you spend on these things to maximize your own study time.
Remember to eat healthy and exercise. Sugar helps you crash; it does not help you stay up. Eat foods that will contribute to your studying habits and fuel your energy. Exercise can serve as a great study break and will actually give you more energy to study and enhance your focus. Taking 10 minutes breaks has proved to be advantageous.
Sleep is required to best study and retain information. Spend more time studying during the day and an all-nighter won’t be needed. Unplugging from various social networking sites can be crucial to your finals success. Sites like Twitter and Facebook are huge distractions and can deter you from studying.
Visualize to materialize is my last tip and favorite tip of all. Imagine everything going right. Imagine getting all the answers correctly and getting an A. When you imagine a happy ending, that’s often what happens. Study and practice confidence. You got this!