Tips for Acing your College Finals
Finals week is just about here for most college students, and it's not fun. Coming back to school after Thanksgiving break you could feel the stress level of the school rise completely. For most people this week means non-stop coffee and no sleep, but I have some helpful tips for surviving finals week and getting out of it with an 'A'!
Finals Week Prep
Preparation is key for surviving finals week with your sanity. A lot of people have talked about making a finals survival kit, but I don't know how that would help if you put all your school supplies in a bag and call it a preparation kit. So instead I've put together a to-do list for finals prep that will help get you organized and ready to start studying:
stock up on pens, pencils and highlighters
It's the end of the year, all of your pens are dried up, your pencils are nubs and you lost all your highlighters in the first week of school. You are about to enter study/finals week. Getting together new pens and pencils will not only make you prepared, but it can also calm your nerves to know that your pens not going to die out on you when you're knee deep into a study session at the library.
go grocery shopping
going to the grocery store and just buying a 24-pack of water bottles and some protein bars (I love the Special K PB ones) and keeping a couple of each in your bag at all times can really help. When you're hungry you lose focus, so always having a healthy pick-me-up will cut down on your procrastination time and keep you focused throughout your studying.
deep clean
I know that when my rooms a mess, even if I know I'm not going to be in it, I get stressed. I start thinking about having to clean it and then I spend all night Swiffer-ing when I should be studying. Taking the weekend before study week to so a good solid cleaning of your room will keep your sanity instead of prevent your from focusing.
make a list
I love lists. Every sunday I sit down and write out everything I have to do that week and organize my to-dos around the events already in my calendar. I use iCal primarily to do this and it really keeps my on track. If I schedule to do my math assignment after one of my classes and my phone dings to remind me right before class ends I'm more apt to get up and go do it then I am if I leave class then remember to do it later.
print out everything
If you've had any class that has an insane amount of readings every week then obviously don't print them all out. But go through your syllabus, find the reading that were emphasized the most and print them out. Having them on hand will become super helpful when you finally sit down to study, and you won't have to take a study break to print them.
Finals Study Tips
Studying is stressful, mind boggling and can drive you crazy. But these tips should help you trim down your study time while keeping your sanity.
1. Stay Organized!
Find, and fill out, a planner and stick to it. Even if it's just a weekly printable. (I've included one below!!) Schedule yourself and make sure you stick to your schedule. You'll feel super accomplished and you won't get stressed out later if you know you've been keeping up with your work.
click here or on the decryption of the calendar to download it now!
YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THIS PRINTABLE BY CLICKING HERE
2. Work on All of Your Classes Each Day
Instead of taking one whole day to study each subject, break them into 1-1.5 hour study sessions each day. Pick one main topic from each class everyday and study them. Focusing on just one subject all day will not only fry your brain but also will allow you to more easily forget the information the next day.
3. Take Breaks
In between studying for two different subjects, take a 15 minute break. Don't use this break to play on your phone actually get up and do something. Go get a water or go to the bathroom. Just getting up and moving can really help boost productivity.
4. Highlight and re-Note Take
You know all those readings I told you you should print out. Yea, this is where they com win handy. Gather up all your notes, readings and flashcards and start highlighting anything you think is important. Circle it, square it off, highlight every line of important, relevant material.
5. Make a Study Guide
All of that information you just highlighted will make this super easy. For each of your subjects just take all of the information that you think is the most important to know or for your exam and type it all out into one study guide. Having all your notes in one place makes it so much easier to do little quick reviews all week. Plus! Making a study guide IS studying and can help you prepare better.
If you use any of these tips, or my handy-dandy weekly printable, let me know! Comment, tweet, tag me on Insta! I love to hear about how my tips help you guys.
xoxo
AME
