Study Tips for Finals

With the first-semester end steadily coming to a close, finals are just around the corner. Learning what study habits work best for you is important, but here are some ideas and reminders to stay healthy approaching the school year's end.

Studying Preparations

1. Spacing out Study Sessions & Chunking Lessons

The week before finals, chunk your material into sections and space out your studying. This can help you keep your focus while also not overwhelming yourself and your brain with information. A typical spacing schedule can be 1 hour of studying with 30-minute breaks. Always remember that it's good to take a break and let your brain rest, but try to do something besides scrolling (ex: journal, take a walk, do something creative, etc.).

2. Scheduling Study Sessions

Stay organized and proactively schedule when you're going to study and do your best to stick with it. This gives you control over how long you’ll study and helps you prioritize what is important such as the class you're struggling with or what is closest in date.

3. Group Studying

For some people, studying in groups is more beneficial as being able to teach the material to someone else solidifies your knowledge. Being surrounded by peers can also help you get through difficult subjects.

4. Teacher Guidance

Ask your teachers for help with anything you have questions about. Remember that it's always better to understand the material with direct explanations than just copying the notes without any knowledge of the process.

5. Staying on Task

If you tend to end up scrolling through social media, be responsible and turn off your phone, devices, and other distractions to pace yourself and stay focused.

6. Proactive Studying

If the resources given by your teachers don’t help, it is up to you to make options for yourself. This can include flashcards, practice tests, stimulating review games, and the development of self-time management.

Should and Shouldn’ts for the Day Before

7. Be Confident

Testing nerves can sometimes interfere with your mental process, so being confident can help with your mood and stress; “I know this.” “I studied this.”

8. Self-Care

Take care of yourself mentally and physically before your test so you can stay healthy:

• Meditate for relaxation 

• Practice proactive breathing (inhale for 4 and exhale for 8)

• Eating properly (no skipping meals, eat 3 meals)

• Sleeping well (sleep early leading up to your final)

• Avoid Stress Triggers

Do not do anything that will increase your stress levels as it can affect your ability to take your final.

10. No Cramming or All-Nighters

Although cramming and all-nighters have been normalized, they aren’t helpful in the long run, especially leading up to your final. Cramming can lead to higher stress levels due to less study time and can make it more difficult to remember the material. All-nighters result in you having less energy to take the test itself and can put you at risk of health issues if it becomes a habit.

You guys got this!