Final exam season is one of the most stressful times of the year, and many students are struggling to organize their study schedules. It can be difficult to find the time to prepare for all of your finals while avoiding cramming it all the night before. Here are some tips from a few seasoned M-A seniors on how to make studying for finals less stressful and more productive.
- Don’t wait until the last minute
Cramming in all of your studying the night before your exam is actually counterproductive. It is much more important to get a good night’s sleep to give your brain time to encode all of the information you learned. Splitting up your studying into a little bit each day over several days allows you to store all the material in your long-term memory, to retrieve when taking the exam. “Don’t start studying right before the test. It is very important to give yourself time to absorb all the material,” said senior Jonah Missan.
- Use a planner
Time management is difficult when studying for six or seven finals in only a week. Using a planner can prevent you from underestimating the time needed to study for one subject. With a planner, you can plan out each day and what subjects or final projects you will be working on that day. Although it may seem tedious, using a planner is useful if you are worried about finding time to study for each class. “I used to be really bad at finding time to study for my classes, but once I started using a planner, I became much less stressed and more productive,” said senior Ethan Vesely. If you don’t have access to a planner, you can easily make your own online or on paper by writing out the days of the week.
- Utilize your study guides
The majority of teachers provide you with many resources to help study for your finals. From mandatory study guides to optional materials, most teachers will provide guides to help you study. While some work may be optional, it is important to review it because it is directly related to what will be on your final. “Go over all the review guides your teacher gives you even if you think you already know all the material,” said senior Tatum Olesen.
- Put away your phone
It can be very difficult to stay focused when studying for finals. Your phone is the biggest distraction, especially when you can hear it buzzing in your room. The best way to eliminate this distraction is to put your phone on “Do not Disturb” and place it in a different room. “Make sure to put your phone out of your sight so you can focus and get your work done quicker,” said senior Dani Koo.
These helpful tips are ones that seniors wish they knew a few years ago. Everyone works differently, but hopefully, these tips can be useful during this stressful season. Good luck with your finals, Bears, and try not to stress yourself out too much. “If you put your mind to it and focus on one thing at a time, I promise you will get work done,” said senior Landon Picard.
