Finals season is just around the corner, so it’s important to plan out your next couple of weeks. Especially because it’s that time of year when the air gets chillier and it becomes harder to get yourself out of bed and out the door. Here are some tips and strategies to help you prepare for your upcoming exams while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Everybody has their preference on where to study. Commonly observed locations include but aren’t limited to the bedrooms, library, common study rooms in residence halls, and cafes. However, for important exams, the back corners of the third and fourth floor of the library are highly recommended. These floors are very quiet with little to no distractions. You can also book study rooms in the library for a few hours or find empty classrooms in places such as the basement of IV or the fourth floor of Richards. Be prepared to bring items with you that you regularly wouldn’t when studying in public such as your chargers and wallet. These are in case your devices run out of battery or if you want to purchase some drinks or snacks. Bring food and coffee to make it appealing; Planning and looking a few steps ahead is key.
Thinking about when and how to study will help you balance your life during exam week. Create and use a schedule in a way that works best for you. Some popular tools are Google Calendar, a physical pencil-and-paper planner like a passion planner or a bullet journal, notes on a smartphone, or the stickies feature on your computer. If you jot down all your responsibilities, you can refer to these resources when the assignments are piling up.
Studies show that you can only manage four hours of effective studying per day. Space out your study times for final exams over time to make sure that the information sticks. Cramming in 10 hours of new material the night before the exam will not result in positive outcomes. Stick to studying for two subjects in a given day. It takes time for your brain to adjust to new modes of thinking, especially for subjects that require the use of different hemispheres of the brain — for example, math, graphics design lab, and English. The time it takes for you to adjust to problem solving for these subjects will be a waste of time. The last thing you should do before sleeping is review test material. The lack of retroactive interference allows you to retain information.
Use flashcards to help with memorization. Through personal experience, I’ve learned that learning new material is done best individually. Buddying up is beneficial in rehearsal and double-checking if you’ve covered your bases. Studying with your peers can be a double-edged sword as they can motivate you to study harder or you can get distracted. There are also many free online resources to study with. Search your exam topics on Google or YouTube, and it is almost guaranteed that a detailed explanation will be provided. This will be almost as easy as scheduling tutoring on myNEU or getting help from your professors. However, tutoring slots fill up fast before quizzes and exams, so you should book these early on. Tutoring is provided for most first to third-year classes, and of course, professors will be able to help with everything and address your problems. Don’t be shy to ask for help when you need it.