It’s hard to believe that the semester is almost over, and unfortunately, with the anticipated (and much-needed) upcoming break comes the final haul of final exams. Here are some tips to keep you going through the exhausting finals period so you’re ready to take full advantage of your well-deserved break:
1. Make a plan!
Look at the final exam schedule and make note of all the days and times that you have exams — make sure to revisit this the day of to check for any changes in the room number. From there, you can backtrack and set a timeline for reviewing specific topics in order to successfully prepare. Make sure you give yourself enough time to spread out the material so you don’t end up cramming! Try to make a little bit of progress every day so you’re not overwhelmed at any given time and always doing something productive with your limited time.
In addition to planning out the timing of your studying, make sure you know what is on the exam. Check the syllabus for your course to see what information it gives on the final: is it cumulative, does it focus on a certain topic, what is the test format? If no information is specifically outlined about the final, learning objectives or outcomes are definitely a good place to start while figuring out what topics to study for the final.
2. Find people to study with
Don’t be afraid to reach out to other students in your classes to get together to review material before an exam! Collaboratively studying is one of the best ways to increase understanding and make sure that everyone is prepared for success! See if your peers want to meet up in the library, go to a coffee shop, or even hop on a Zoom call to review topics and help each other study.
3. Short-term goal setting
Setting short-term goals is one of the easiest ways to feel super confident in your progression of any task. It’s great to have an idea along the lines of “I want to get an A on this exam,” but the easiest way to reach that goal is to set short-term goals that will make success more seamless. Maybe three days before the exam you decide to finish reviewing all material that will be covered, so you can spend the rest of your time leading up to an exam focusing on specific topics you want to spend extra time on or are struggling with. Set short time goals that are both achievable for you, but also helpful along your road to topic mastery.
4. Office hours, and review sessions
If you are ever struggling to understand a concept, don’t hesitate to reach out to your professors! They will more likely than not be willing to lend a helping hand. Frequenting office hours is another way to foster good professional connections for your future endeavors, so if you need help, don’t be afraid to speak up! Additionally, many professors or organizations around campus hold really helpful review sessions for big exams that are a great way to assess your understanding of the material and spend time with others in the same position as you.
5. Stay positive!
While it can be super easy to get caught up in the stress of the end of the semester, there are so many good things to also keep in mind, like being proud of yourself for finishing another semester, looking forward to any potential summer plans, or just needing a BREAK. By focusing on something positive whether it be in the near or far future, it might just feel like time is going by a little quicker than it is, making this stressful time of the semester more bearable.
