Everyone who has gone to college has had to suffer through finals week.
Nowadays, we have the option of taking online finals, or sometimes we are forced to go to the classroom armed with a pencil and countless erasers, ready to get this thing done. In honor of finals week, I thought I would highlight everyone's day by offering some generic study tips and some ways to relax when you are super stressed! To find out more ideas about stress relief, check out my post about stress.
We all have our roadblocks when it comes to studying. The space is too loud/quiet, the TV is on, we need music blasting to concentrate, etc. You get the idea. We all learn differently, and because of that, we all study differently. These tips are in general, for everyone, but feel free to add your own ideas in the comments!
You can do this when you have longer sections of notes as well. If you have a literature class and have over 3 chapters to review, color-code each chapter. As humans we are visual, and colors sometimes help our brains categorize information faster than straight-up black and white notebook paper.
Next up are videos and supplemental studying! If you are having trouble with a certain area in your class (such as commas in grammar or matrices in algebra) then here are a few non-traditional ways to study. First, find a video on YouTube or somewhere that explains the concept in detail or simpler terms. Often videos help us learn faster than re-reading a book over and over, which is odd but somewhat true. (i.e., you learn more from a documentary than a textbook). Take notes so you do not have to go back and re-watch the video in case you forget the info you need to know!
If you have definitions to memorize, look them up in a dictionary or try and write down all the ones you know off the top of your head. This will establish the info in your mind and give you confidence. :)
Third, NOTE CARDS! I am not a fan of these because it is hard for me to remember info from them, but these are great for verbal learners!
Note cards (or flash cards) are great because they are like a game of matching; they are especially helpful for terms and vocab, especially in grammar or foreign language or science. You could also update your note cards to memorize dates in history, math equations, and more!
Last but not least, make an outline for any papers due! Making outlines help you bridge that pesky writer's block and gets your mind churning with ideas and ways to word your paper. MAKE SURE you cite ALL sources used, even if you quote and/or paraphrase. Write your own ideas in your own words. Make an outline and copy and paste it to a new document, so you can see how your argument is building up and where you need to add more information (especially if it's a long paper).
**And, just a word on time management: set aside at least 15 minutes each day to read over your notes and mark any changes you forgot to write down. If you need to rewrite, do it! Your notes are yours. Setting an alarm on your phone will help you stay accountable for the studying you need to do.
Now that you have ways to study for those stressful finals, how do you take your mind off those stressful finals? Stress eat? Take a hot bath? Cram? Relaxing will help you breathe and have more clarity for when it matters.
First, make a to-do list of all you need to get done by a certain date. Write down the date things are due and any other pertinent info, such as drinking water or meetings you absolutely cannot miss, and even extracurricular stuff like hanging out with peeps or team meetings. To-do lists help manage your time do you can prioritize.
Next, take a minute to breathe. Breathing can include meditating, or maybe just closing your eyes and taking a deep breath. This will help calm your heart rate and, believe it or not, I think it helps me to clearly take my next course of action.
Third, eat something. DO NOT GORGE, just eat a quick snack. You can't function if you are starving. Also, stay hydrated. If you feel hungry, you might be thirsty.
Four, watch a movie or listen to music once you get to an actual stopping point. Set an alarm; after an hour of studying, you might watch an episode of The Flash or something to get your mind off things.
After that, if you are a Christian, reading your Scriptures can help you focus and feel better. God's Word has a great tendency to say what you need when you need it. ALSO, don;t forget to pray for clarity, focus, peace, and grades (nothing is too small or too big for God!).
I hope you feel more confident about finals now! Feel free to comment any ideas! Don't worry: you got this! Just do your best! God Bless!!
Peace out!
--KatG
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