Keep Calm & Study On: Studying Tips for Finals

It’s that time of the year: finals time! But don’t stress–here are some tips to help you study!

Get organized. The first step of studying well for finals is making a plan. Make a list of all the units or topics you learned. Then, try talking yourself through that unit or writing down everything you remember about the topic. If there are any topics you don’t remember well, then start studying those concepts first! Try to make a list of all the days you have to study and divide the topics amongst those days. Just keep in mind that your plan is flexible – it’s totally okay if a certain concept takes you longer to study than anticipated. Some concepts may take less time than you expected, and you can leave a bit of wiggle room in your plan, so everything will work out!

Review previously missed concepts. Revisiting old tests, quizzes, and worksheets to see what you missed can be very beneficial. Try to figure out where you went wrong and rework the problem for practice.

Study with friends. If you work best surrounded by others, this is a really great option for you. Set up a Zoom with some friends or peers in your class to work through problems, review material, and ask each other questions. Or you could even set up a study hour with some friends who aren’t in your classes, turn on some calming music, and be motivated by seeing others at work!

Switch it up! Making adjustments to your surroundings and what you study helps increase your productivity. If you have multiple finals, be sure to alternate topics so you don’t get burned out on one! Changing your environment can also help. Try studying in a different location every few hours, even if it’s just switching chairs or the angle that you face. If it’s a nice day, go study outside for awhile! Taking a little time to hit refresh can help you make the most of your studying time!

Reward yourself. Give yourself something to look forward to as you study. If you are having trouble having the motivation to study a particular concept, think about something you want to do, such as watch your favorite TV show or scroll through social media. Then, reward yourself with doing what you want to after you finish studying the concept. Remember that you deserve to take breaks, and they are actually really beneficial. Studies show that people begin to lose concentration and productivity after 50-90 minutes of continuous work. A 15-20 minute break is ideal, but even just 5-10 minutes will still help if you’re tight on time. Get up and walk around, stretch, stay hydrated, tidy up your workspace, step outside for some fresh air!

Happy studying, and remember–the results of your finals do not define you!