Finals Study Tips and Tricks
Photo Courtesy of The University of San Diego/Flickr
10 Success strategies for acing your finals
1. Shut yourself off. Don’t give into club Copley conversations because it will be packed to the brim with peers who aren’t necessarily following the silent rule. Try the Law Library, Mother Rosalie Hill Hall reading room, or another quiet building on-campus.
2. Study with other individuals who you know are doing well in class, actively participate, and complete readings and assignments on time. Often times if we only study with close friends or students who aren’t the most engaged or lack the motivation to study, chances for success on finals is most likely to decrease due to distractions and misinformation.
3. Organize, organize, organize. Write down and outline the specifics of what the final exam or paper will cover. Make sure to properly label papers and assignments in specific folders, that way you can easily find documents after you’ve closed out of them. Write down your finals schedule ahead of time so you’re aware of exactly what time and day you will be taking it.
4. Sleep, eat healthy, and exercise! This will give you natural energy throughout the day and make you feel a lot better. Take time away from campus and get outdoors to the beach, Mission Gorge hiking trails, rock climbing, or even the gym. Sleep will reduce stress, allow you to study more efficiently and let you work for longer periods of time throughout the day.
5. Don’t give into distractive peer pressure. Finals are only temporary including the stress that comes along with it. This is your chance to show off all the knowledge and work you’ve achieved this semester. Succumbing to poor choices such as late nights out and ditching a group study session will lead to more stress, anxiety, sleep-deprivation, and potentially poor grades.
Finals are a little freaky, overwhelming, and time consuming. They are meant to test your skill and ability to retain and apply particular information that you’ve learned throughout the semester. Although they may seem torturous, it will ultimately lead to the beginning of Winter Break and a little freedom from school related work. Take the time to study and work hard but also remember to reward yourself for hard work, dedication, and good grades.