Posts Tagged ‘Study Tips’
Midterm Mania: 5 Tips to Surviving the Week
With the changing of the seasons from winter to spring, so comes the changing of students’ attitudes towards school. Now that Spring Break is on the horizon and temperatures outside are rising, students find themselves being lured outdoors, placing school on the backburner. But now is not the time to fall behind in your classes! If anything, now is the time you should be getting a head start on preparing for those midterms that will inevitably stand between you and your long awaited break.
In order to remain carefree before your Spring Break, check out these tips that we have gathered on ways to tackle those dreaded midterms head on.
1. Start preparing now. You’ve heard it a million times, but it’s truly never too early to start studying. Rather than staying up late the night before your exam, you’ll find it much more effective to start dedicating a little bit of time each night to reviewing class material. If you cram the night before you won’t retain any information in your long term memory, and you’ll also find yourself exhausted the morning of the exam. Getting started is always the hardest part, so get it over with!
2. Utilize outside resources. Teachers have office hours for a reason – they want to help you as much as possible. That being said, if there is any information that you didn’t grasp in class, or if you have questions in general about your upcoming exam, utilize this time to go pick your Professor’s brain. Trust me, Professors like having students come to their office hours, it shows them how much you care about succeeding in their class – and knowing how much you care could work in your favor when they’re calculating participation points at the end of the semester! Additionally, reach out to friends who have (successfully) taken the class you are in, and see if they have any additional advice as to how to ace your upcoming midterm.
3. Make a schedule. Midterms are similar to finals in that you may have an exam in every class, but don’t let that freak you out. By making a schedule and sticking to it, you can make studying for multiple classes manageable. This will also allow you to work in time to plan and pack for Spring Break, so that you’re not frantically throwing your belongings together right before you head to the beach!
4. Take advantage of on-campus study breakers. Taking a break from studying is necessary when trying to retain half a semester’s worth of information. That being said, check out what events the organizations at your college or university are putting on to help students relax during these stressful times. I know at my school we have an evening in which the professors serve students breakfast for dinner at our dining hall. If none of these events appeal to you, take an afternoon walk around campus or hit the gym or an hour to relieve some tension.
5. Reward yourself. I’m not saying you should go on a shopping spree or max out your credit card, but it is important to build in small incentives throughout the week. I find studying much easier if I have something tangible I am working towards (other than good grades). It could be as simple as a smoothie after a study session, or renting a new movie after a tough test (may I recommend “Perks of Being a Wallflower”). Just make sure you’re actually completing the task before you get the reward.
It can be incredibly difficult to focus on midterms with Spring Break right around the corner, but it is possible. Just think- you have already made it half way through the semester, what’s one more week? If you’ve finished all your midterms and you’re planning to take a trip, check out this post so you know what to pack.
How do you balance Spring Break anticipation and remaining motivated to study for midterms? All suggestions are welcomed!
Tips for Reducing Stress During Finals Week
Finals are right around the corner- are you ready? It’s the time of year when students from coast to coast are stressed, nervous, and anxious. Students are stressed because of the realization that they have three weeks worth of work to do and one week to finish it all. They are nervous because if they fail a class it would be devastating. I know I’ve had all of those feelings at one point or another during finals week, but over the years I’ve found some ways that I deal with the stress of finals week. Here are some tips and tricks I have learned along the way
- Find Yourself a Study Group. This will allow all members of the group to split up the work evenly. It’s an efficient way to make the best study guide possible so that you focus on learning the study guide instead of trying to find all of the answers.
- Sleep, Sleep, Sleep. Many of us can’t remember the last time we got eight hours of sleep. This makes finals much harder, because the brain needs proper time to shut down and recharge. When it doesn’t recharge properly, you will notice yourself being slightly “out of it.” In my opinion, getting sleep and studying in the morning is much better for finals week than not sleeping at all.
- Know Your Study Schedule. As soon as you know when your finals will be held, create a schedule so that there are no surprises. Surprises during finals week are never good. Take the time to figure out exactly when you will study for what exam and stick to the schedule. Being organized is key during finals.
- Find Music to Keep You Going. Pick some music that helps your brain keep going. Just make sure that it’s not a distraction. The right songs won’t be very noticeable because you’ll be busy studying. The wrong songs will keep your brain focused on the song and not the work that’s piled up right next to you. My advice- listen to instrumentals, they are the best for me.
- Forget About What Else is going on. Of course finals week is the time when the best video games come out, the best TV shows are on all day, and all of your friends are finished with their finals and ready to celebrate. FORGET ABOUT IT! Focus on the task at hand and you will get through finals week knowing you did your best. Even if you don’t get all of the grades you want, remember you did what you could. When it’s all over, you will either feel a sense of accomplishment or know that you didn’t try hard enough.
- Do What Works For YOU. Hopefully by this time, you understand which study habits work the best for you. Forget about the way everybody else studies, just stick to the methods that have worked for you in the past because they are most likely to work in the future.
Use these tips as a start to a successful finals week. Remember everybody has to go through it. All of the stress, nervousness, and anxiousness will fade away with the sense of accomplishment that will come with completing your last final. Good luck on your finals!
Alabaster
I’m reading Microsoft Office 2010
10 Tried and True Tips for Pulling an All-Nighter
It’s here, the time of the year when college students from all over the country are scrambling to organize for the misery that is finals week. My gut tells me that there are some students who study weeks and months in advance to prepare, however the rest of us will have some long nights and early days in the next week or two. I know I will. If you’re a freshman, you might be asking yourself, how am I supposed to learn 10 chapters of Spanish in one day? Or how can I memorize this 15-page study guide in one night? The answer is simple: Pulling the infamous all-nighter. The all-nighter is among the most deadly weapons that a procrastinating student can use in this battle of knowledge that is “higher education.” Most of us have been there before, some of us multiple times, so what is the best way to use this weapon? Here is a list of tips that I’ve come up with during my 3 years in college.
- Study Groups – Think about it this way. Everyone in the class must complete the 10-page study guide. If 5 students all chip in, that’s only 2 pages of work for each person. Furthermore, it will give everyone more time to study what he or she needs to know instead of searching for answers.
- Caffeine – Whether your caffeine fix involves coffee, soft drinks or energy drinks, finals week is the time to use it to your advantage. Do NOT overuse caffeine if you’re panicking. My advice is study for 90 minutes, then take a short break and consume your drink of choice. Use sparingly and caffeine will be your friend.
- Take Breaks – This will ultimately slow you down, but it will help you avoid being sidetracked. I usually take a break every 90 minutes to give my brain a rest from information overload.
- Music – I like instrumental music the best during finals week. I’ve found that it’s less of a distraction and it still keeps my brain stimulated. I think it’s ultimately beneficial and helps time go by faster.
- 2 Tests to Study For? – It’s best to switch up subject every once in a while, to avoid brain drain. Try studying subject 1 for 90 minutes, taking a short break, and studying subject 2 for 90 minutes.
- Don’t Fall Asleep – This is without a doubt the most challenging part of pulling an all-nighter. Some tips on staying awake: take a cold shower, spicy foods can help, exercise will get your blood pumping again, take a smoke break, play a quick game of solitaire, make a quick phone call or talk to someone from your class about your study guide. What ever you do, DO NOT take a nap. That 10 minutes will turn into 30, which will turn into the entire night.
- Don’t Give Up – If you find yourself in an impossible studying position, just keep on moving. This can be very hard when your stress level is that high, however I have found that it is best to suffer through it. Think about it this way: do you want to go home and fall asleep, knowing that you gave up? Or do you want to study hard all night and go into the exam feeling confident?
- Forget about “I’ll finish this in the morning” – No, you wont. Especially if you are getting little to no sleep already. Think about it realistically: If you go to bed at 5 am, and have a test at 9 am, do you really think that you will wake up at 7am and do equations? It’s nearly impossible to wake up clear-headed and ready to do work after two hours of sleep.
- Try to laugh – It will keep your stress from taking over, and it will keep your brain stimulated. Try your favorite YouTube videos during breaks. Also a good way that I’ve found is to call a classmate who you know will be less prepared than you. Their progress will give you that little tiny bit of motivation needed to move on.
- Stay Confident – This is easier for some than others, but staying confident and positive about your scholastic ability will ultimately help your study session. For example, knowing that you have the confidence to do well will help your brain take in more information. It’s like knowing you’re better than someone in basketball, that confidence might just be the difference in the game.
Bonus Tip – If you’re freaking out, call your Mom or Dad. I have done this many times over the years, and it has helped me greatly. There is something about talking to my mother that helps me calm the storm and keep moving forward. Tell your Mom or Dad that you are freaking out, and ask them for advice. Their advice might not be golden, but just talking to them will help lower your stress levels.
All-nighters are technically not great for your body or mind, however sometimes you have to step up to the plate and do what you have to do, or fail. The choice is yours, choose wisely!
Good Luck Everyone.
Alabaster
I’m reading Economics: Principles, Problems, and Policies
No Comments »
