Prepare for finals without cramming
Alyssa Waller, Staff Writer
It’s almost that time again that every college student dreads: finals week.
Keli Sewell, senior director of student services, said it would be helpful for students to schedule some time to focus on a certain class or even do review sessions.
Sewell recommends that students go ahead and put it on the calendar and follow what they plan out on the calendar.
Sewell said she knows that students have other things such as athletics, practices, games, concerts and even work, so it will be a good idea for students to pencil in those times to focus and review the information that they have learned throughout the semester.
Sewell recommends students to go back through the syllabus and review other tests that have been done throughout the semester, just to refresh memory.
While some classes give cumulative finals, covering everything from the semester, other classes give finals that only cover a chapter.
Sewell also recommends taking advantage of study sessions when the study sessions are available. Some professors provide a study session or an extra bit of time to go over information, which is an opportunity not to miss out on.
It is also important to get a lot of rest. Many students will try to stay up all night and study. When we do that, we are not as sharp, so it is important to make sure to plan ahead of time and not wait until the night before to study.
It is also important to eat well, exercise and get some fresh air, so it’s easier to focus during those times. Take a walk around to avoid consistently staring at one thing and losing focus.
Sewell also advises students to explain what they have learned to a partner, roommate, someone willing to help them or even through a voice memo.
It can be hard to stay ahead of studying for tests, so making a calendar can be useful. Write it out, and take thirty minutes to review notes from the previous day.
Sarah Kelley, a senior at North Greenville University, said to know when the test is coming up and what is on it. Kelley advises to check the final exam schedule and the syllabus.
Once you know what to study, create a schedule and break it down into small chunks.
Kelley does not recommend studying for an hour at midnight because it will make you tired the next day. Kelley recommends taking 10 minutes to read the material or notes.
If necessary, turn your phone on “do not disturb,” or turn it completely off if it’s too distracting.
Shirley Burgess, junior interdisciplinary major, usually studies for an hour or so and gives herself little breaks of five to 10 minutes because it helps her retain the information better and avoid cramming.
Burgess uses notecards to help her to focus. She usually makes the notecards look nicer and more appealing to look at since they have all the information that she needs.
She said math and science are good subjects for notecards. For American Sign Language, she said notecards would not work, so she uses online resources or the Language Lab to study and practice.
Burgess said she likes to make subsections in her notes. If the professor says something is going to be on the exam, she will write a reminder, so she knows exactly what she has to study.
NGU student Vlad Sabou recommends preparation. He said studying should not be just a series of cramming the night before a final.
Students should make sure they prepare and have a steady, consistent time to look at the material and review notes.
Sabou advises practicing good time management and not putting everything off until the last minute. Students have a series of decisions they need to make to avoid waiting until the night or even weekend before.
He said students should spend 2 or 3 hours outside the classroom for every hour spent in the classroom. He said he thinks those two to three hours are crucial for how to set himself up for the reviews, tests and finals.
When it comes to studying, the process is different for everyone. Students should have a wide variety of trials and errors and should try different things.
Cramming takes away from the experience and growth college students try to accomplish. It is important to think ahead such as a week or a couple of weeks ahead and know when the deadlines are for assignments, tests and finals.
There are academic resources offered at NGU, especially for finals week. One is example is academic counseling where students can learn about time management.
The key to studying for finals is to use those five days before the final and breakdown everything needed to study into small manageable pieces. Take appropriate breaks as it will help students retain information.
There will be a couple of different final exam focused sessions where students can learn how to prepare for finals. Students should find what works best for them.
With the use of technology, such as a computers and phones, students can use those to make a plan or put things into a calendar.
The Center for Student Success has apps that will help students come up with questions and setup an appropriate study method depending on student needs.
