Five tips for finals
Final exams are almost here, and that means so are last minute cramming and group study sessions. Studying for finals can seem a little intimidating at first, but it doesn't have to be. Below is a list of the top things you can do to get the most out of your study time and do well on every test you have to take.
1. Emily Howard, a Supplemental Instruction leader and Alpena senior, recommends prioritizing. “Study for the classes in the order you have the finals,” she said. “It makes no sense to study for the final you have on Thursday first if you have finals that are on Monday or Tuesday.” Howard also recommended setting up a study schedule and working hard to stick to it. “Create easy-to-achieve increments of dedicated study time throughout the week. Work hard now so you can play later.”
2. Joe Gilbert, a Whitehall senior, said it can be helpful when taking notes to write everything in your own words. “I take what is written in the textbook and explain it in my own words. This helps me to connect it to other information for the course,” Gilbert said.
3. Another tip from Howard is to step away from the Netflix and television, so you can better focus on studying. “You will be able to watch all the TV you want after your last final,” she said. “If you have to, unplug the TV and have your roommate hide the remote.”
4. Mailen Staulter, a West Bloomfield senior, said it is important to remember to start preparing for finals ahead of time. “Don’t cram all of your studying in on the last weekend before they start," she said. "All-nighters aren’t always effective.”
5. Set small, achievable goals. Don’t make unrealistic study goals for yourself, like saying you are going to study for one class all day. “Break it into smaller, doable chunks, perhaps 30 minute or one hour increments. "You will feel better about achieving these small goals than if you had not been able to hack a five hour study marathon,” Howard said.
