Summer time is quickly approaching; which means school is coming to an end. Woohoo right! But, everyone knows these last weeks are the most stressful weeks for us students. Finals exams, final projects, and the last attempt to try to get that grade you want are quicky approaching. For me, these last few weeks have been stressful; I have been trying to maintain a high gpa to keep my scholarship. I know some of you guys have been there. Getting grades is something to strive for and to be proud of. So today, I will giving you a few tips how to crush your finals.
1. Get Help.
It is not to late to try and get help with school. Personally, I attend my professor office hours, not always , but enough that they know my name. I make sure that they know my current situation (scholarship). If professors see the effort that the student is putting to try to understand the material, they will help you out. By asking the professor for help, you can have a one-on-one session; which is good because the professor can give you tips on what exactly what they are looking. Also, check to see if your university has tutoring or writing center to help you with your final projects or exams. Know that is never to late to ask for help. The best thing is to recognized that you need help, so you won't struggle for the rest of the semster.
2. Spread Out Your Studying, NO CRAMMING!
So last night, I was determined to do an all-nighter with my roommates to study for my macroeconmics test that I had the next morning. Yeah wrong idea. It was one o'clock in the morning, I was reading and I began to realize that I don't get this shit. On pintrist, I came across a post that said we only retain 44% of information after 4 hours. This is why cramming won't work. I learned that creating outlines for each chapter throughout the semester helps me in the long run when attempting to study for my final exams. If you haven't took notes or created outlines, try to skim over the chapters throughout the week and write down the main topics in each chapter; then revisit your outline a couple days before the test.
Another tip for when you are studying take breaks in between. So, one effective way is to study for 30 minutes and take a break for 15 minutes. Devote your full attention to your work for full 30 minutes.
When taking notes, create your notes in your voice. Try break down the material so you can understand it, instead of rewriting what in the text or powerpoint . For example, I write my notes I like to break down important concepts into a language that I understand. Helps understand and retain information better.
3. Learn To Relax
I know school can become over whelming. But, learn how to cope with your stress. Find out what distresses you. Whether it is writing, getting a massage, working out, playing with animals ,or going out with friends. It is important to find out what relaxing you so you won't be anxious and drained. For me, working out has became gateway for me to relieve all kinds of stress. After working out, I feel free and relaxed. Also, learn how to take mental breaks from school, so you can destress. Mind health is really important and can affect how you function day to day.
I hope my tips can help you to destress and get an A on your exam. Just remember you got this.