Many of my friends are still in college, and it’s now finals time. When I was in college, I took an average of 21 credits a semester, so finals time was often one of the more stressful parts of the semester. I can remember one particularly brutal semester in which I took 26 credits, and had 2 finals a day for 4 days in a row.
The biggest tip I have is to start studying earlier in the semester. If you study your notes/reading over the book each night, many of these tips don’t really apply. But like most people, you probably put off your studying. Here are my suggestions:
5. Eat Right!
At finals time, we are stressed out and eat the wrong foods. Eat foods that will fill you up but are also healthy for you. I suggest eating nuts for snacks, as they easily fill you up and keep your mind from wandering from what you SHOULD be doing- studying.
4. Get Plenty of Sleep
Your brain consolidates information while you sleep, so you need to get at least 7 hours of sleep per night. Without sleep, you will not function as well, and be able to recall information as efficiently.
3. Start Studying as early as possible
You know your finals schedule now, so you should start studying! Don’t put it off to the days before- even reading over your notes now can save you time in the future.
2. Study in Chunks, not hours
You can maximize your studying by breaking it up into chunks of material. Study for about an hour, and go do something for yourself. After that 20 minute break, start studying again for another hour. Take a half hour nap and resume studying another hour or so.
1. Go to the gym
Many people swear by the 5 hour energy/Red Bull/ Coffee addiction to pull them through finals week. Go to the gym and work out for an hour each day. You will get the blood (and oxygen!) flowing around your body. If you’re tired, eat a banana.
These strategies worked for me. Give them a try and let me know what tips you have for finals week in the comments!
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