With finals week just around the corner, it's time to start studying, right? Easier said than done. Who wants to go back and look at all the information from the semester, just to be tested on it one more time? Unfortunately it needs to be done, and if you're anything like me, you'll find yourself a victim of the 10 Stages of Studying. It's always good to know there are people struggling just as much as you are, right?
1. I've got this
Let’s face it, we’ve all been there. That moment when you first decide to sit down and study for whatever exam you have coming up, and you feel so responsible because you’ve actually left a decent amount of time to refresh your memory. You're motivated and nothing and no one is going to get in the way of your studying.
2. I don't need to start studying yet
3. Quick review
Then you sit down for real. Well, at least you look over the content for a little bit, never managing to actually retain any information, but for long enough to convince yourself that you deserve a study break.
4. I don't remember any of this
That point when you decide to actually put some brain cells to work, and attempt to really think about the concepts that have been staring back at you for some time now, only to realize that you have absolutely no recollection of learning anything in front of you.
5. Study group
After struggling on your own for a bit, you decide it’s time to call for back up. Teamwork makes the dream work, right?
6. None of us remember anything
You’re excited now that other people are here to help. You feel optimistic that with a group of people around, more work will get done and at least one person was paying attention in lecture and can answer that question no one else was awake for.
7. Distractions
But then your “study group” plan back fires and suddenly everyone’s on their phones, talking about their weekend or talking about everything they don’t know.
8. Time to get serious
No one else seems to be focusing, but you're responsible and serious and ready to kill this exam, so you decide to go back to studying on your own. This time for real, though. The exam is getting close, and you focus better on your own anyway; they'll all fail and you'll do great because you actually studied, right?!
9. I can't do this anymore
After a few hours you decide your brain is fried. You’ve probably taken about 10 breaks, papers are everywhere and you’re probably sprawled somewhere in your room or wherever you’re studying. You don’t think you need to study anymore and whatever you know now is all you’ll ever know.
10. Last minute cram
About two hours before your exam you realize that there’s still a decent amount left to study, so you decide to make yourself a computer and attempt to retain anything and everything possible in these last few hours. You no longer care how crazy you look or sound, running back and forth, hair and face an absolute mess, asking questions to anyone who looks like they might have answers. Hyped up on caffeine, you're the kid with their nose in the study guide until the exam is in front of them.
