The end of the semester is here – that also means finals week has arrived. Here are our top ten suggestions to help you achieve maximum success in your classes. Interested in learning more? Check out the Student Success section of your Compass course in Canvas.
Make a game plan
Map out what your study plan will be for each of your final exams or projects. Using a technique called backwards design, look at when your final is scheduled, or you are presenting, and work backwards to set study and preparation dates/times. Set a goal for each session “organize notes”, “first study round”, “final review”, etc. This way you aren’t waiting until the last minute to begin studying/preparing.
Loop in your family and friends
Your college experience is unique and often our family/friends may not realize what goes into doing well in a particular class. Take some time to explain to them what you have going on for the next couple of weeks and why it is so important that you have a little bit of space to focus on your academic priorities. Schedule a celebration dinner (ask someone to make your favorite meal) or coffee outing for when your finals are over so that they can feel a part of your journey. When you take the time to share your “limited unavailability” and the reasons why, they are better able to support you.
Start early
Cramming for a test has been shown to be ineffective (not to mention bad for your health.) Don’t wait until the last minute to prepare. Break your studying into smaller, manageable chunks over a longer period of time. This will help you concentrate, focus, and retain information better. Consider engaging in a focused study for 30 minutes each day (that means putting your cell phone away and avoiding interruptions.)
Use creative study aids
Students traditionally think that studying involves sitting down and pouring over books and notes. While re-reading and reviewing is helpful, try doing something more creative. Write down important facts/dates/formulas on sticky notes and post them on your mirror so you look at them multiple times throughout the day. Put together notecards that you can flip through while eating lunch. Record yourself reading out information you want to remember and play it on repeat while you’re walking to class or the gym. Re-write your notes in a visual format (google mind-mapping) so you can envision the information differently. Keeping your brain active in new ways will help you retain more information.
Keep the balance
Don’t let the panic and stress of finals keep you glued to the books, 24/7. Your mind and body need to be kept in proper balance so build time into your schedule for sleep, exercise, proper nutrition, and engagement with others. Take a power nap or go for a walk, grab an extra serving of vegetables, and ask a friend to take 15 minutes and tell you a funny story. All of these will help you focus on studying.
Form a study group
Reach out to your classmates and invite them to study with you as a group. If you’re nervous, chances are they are as well and wouldn’t mind having some support. As long as you stay focused and commit to not discussing that Netflix show you all love, working with others can have many benefits. You’ll help explain concepts to each other, share strategies for remembering information, and be able to quiz each other before moving on to the next chunk of information. Use your group to read and make comments on the final paper you’re each writing so you can get someone else’s perspective on flow and content. Working as a team can have huge benefits.
Leverage technology
When studying for finals, we typically recommend putting your phone away. However, there are times when you can utilize technology to enhance your academic success.
- Some of our favorites which have free options include Calm, Breethe, or Meditation by Soothing Pod (to calm stress and help focus), I Am or Daily Quote (to reinforce positive affirmations), Daily Random Facts (for two minute study breaks) or Todoist or Taasky (to organize study schedules.
Start with scary
There’s probably one subject area or concept that you’re dreading, start your studying with that one. If you try to avoid it and wait until the last minute, it will hang over you the whole time you’re trying to study (and be a distraction.) Starting with the most challenging subject first allows you more time to reach out to professors or classmates with questions versus waiting until the last minute when no one is available.
Believe in yourself
Negative self-talk can really bring us down…you’re in college for a reason, so reinforce your confidence levels. You had the intelligence, fortitude, grit, resilience, and talent to get here so believe that you CAN do well on your finals/presentations/projects. Repeat positive affirmations to yourself regularly during finals week (I’m strong, I’m smart, I can do this, I will succeed!) and put up reminders around you which reinforce that. When we believe in ourselves and go into a test with a positive attitude, we’re more likely to do better. Tell that negative voice inside you – NOT TODAY, BECAUSE I GOT THIS!
Celebrate
Give yourself a round of applause when that last presentation has been done and your final paper submitted. Too often we don’t appreciate our own successes, so take a moment and celebrate you. Plan to do something that you’ve been wanting to do for a while – whether it’s watching that newest movie or treating yourself to your favorite snack, make that moment about you. Get your connections in on the celebration – post on social media how proud you are that you did it and watch the support come rolling in.
Need additional academic success assistance throughout the year? Utilize resources available through the Office of Student Success and the First Year Experience to achieve your goals. Attend either the virtual or in-person Student Success Summit this January to start your spring semester off right.