Ryan ChartrandIt’s that time of the quarter again; the dreaded finals are approaching fast. It’s time to declare yourself virtually lifeless for the next few weeks and hit the books.
You may already have a strategy for studying that works for you, or you may be cowering in fear for your first round of ultimate collegiate torture. Either way, you could always use a little help along the way.
A major factor in everyone’s study stress is how to study so much information in so little time. Most finals are cumulative and many classes will have tests or projects due the week before finals. Don’t let that worry you.
The best thing you can do is to start studying now. By allowing yourself more time, you can study in small amounts that won’t interfere as much with your current load of homework. This method is also less stressful. By the time you begin to review the material, you’ll feel as if you already know it well.
Another key strategy is to go over what you’ve learned more than once. A relative of mine, who works as a school psychologist, said that students should go over the information two to three times to ensure that they will remember what they have studied during the test. This, of course, should be done over time and not on the day before the final.
If you can, visit your professor for suggestions of what might be on the final or help with things you do not fully understand. Personal attention is a helpful tool for students. Since most Cal Poly students come from large public high schools where teachers can’t dote on every single student, it’s easy for many students to not expect any attention from their professors here. Students from smaller private high schools, like myself, are more comfortable with going to see teachers in order to get help. I assure you this strategy will help your studying and greatly affect how you learn.
When the finals come, remember what your teachers told you to do before the SATs. Get a good night sleep, eat a good breakfast and make sure you’ve got everything you need to take the test. I know you probably never wanted to hear someone tell you when to go to bed ever again, but if you’re tired from staying up late and cramming, chances are you’re not going to be able to concentrate on the test. Same goes with eating breakfast; a hungry stomach isn’t an advantage in the test-taking environment.
Finally, make sure you have everything. If you’re taking a blue book test, buy two or three books. Buy a packet of scantrons, not just one per test. Unless you’re graduating this quarter, you’re going to use the extras anyway.
It’s up to you how you study for your finals, but it’s always a good idea to plan out how you’re going to go about it. Try not to let yourself succumb to stress and procrastination, and you should be fine as long as you’ve studied hard.