Study habits change as exams come closer

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As finals week approaches, students re-evaluate their study habits in preparation for exams.

Britney Becht, south campus success coach, said part of her job is to walk around residence halls and offer students studying advice.

“Success coaches walk around buildings and hand out time management planning sheets along with study tips,” Becht said.

Avoiding Facebook, studying in a quiet place and taking advantage of study rooms in residence halls are the top three suggestions on the list of study tips handed out.

Sparta sophomore Dexter McKellar studies nightly and said his study habits change during exam week.

“When finals come around, I study every night for three to four hours. I manage my time by studying for the most important exams the most and the least important exams the least,” he said. “Then, the night before my big exams, I’ll just study for those classes and focus on what’s most important at that time.”

Neguanee freshman Emma Collins also makes variations to her study habits for exam week.

“For each exam, I sit for around three hours and study instead of spreading out my studying,” she said. “I do all the study guides and go over old tests and it really helps.”

As suggested by the study tips handed out, students use study rooms in the residence halls as an outlet to study without distraction.

“My ideal place to study if I’m really getting into it is the small group study room so I can still listen to music, but without other distractions that are in my room,” McKellar said. “It’s a lot easier to focus without video games blaring or people talking.”

The study tips handed out by success coaches also stresses taking breaks periodically while studying. Howell freshman Julia Wagner said she takes breaks every hour or so.

“If I get overwhelmed, I’ll take a break to watch television or read a book,” she said. “This keeps me from getting frustrated or bored and becoming unproductive.”

McKellar offers advice for students who may feel overwhelmed with studying.

“The most important thing is not to make it you against the world,” he said. “Work together and study with people from your classes. It’ll help a lot because they can learn from you and you can learn from them.”

Becht suggests students struggling to manage their studying before finals make an appointment with their success coach in the success centers located in their dorms, but offered a piece of advice she commonly gives to every student.

“Really, every student is different and their study habits reflect that,” Becht said. “A big piece of advice I offer, though, is to plan ahead. If you make a list of what you have to do, when the time comes to complete everything, it’s a lot less overwhelming.”