My first semester of college is almost over, and finals are coming quickly. From what I've learned so far, procrastination in college is easier to do than it was in high school, but it's much harder to work on a tight schedule. Here are a few tips to end the semester on a good and not stressful note.
1. Start studying early.
As soon as you know your finals schedule, begin putting your notes together. Re-type them, highlight them, re-write them by hand, make a Quizlet, a powerpoint, a song to help you remember terms, etc. Start preparing as soon as you can so you're not cramming the day before the exam.
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2. Begin term papers right after Thanksgiving Break.
Term papers are a pain. I was lucky enough to have a class where the term papers were due BEFORE Thanksgiving so we didn't have to stress about it after break since we also have a final. As soon as you find out your assignment, get your materials ready and start writing. It's much better to pace yourself with term papers since they're worth such a large part of your grade.
3. Form study groups.
I had a study group for one of my midterms and I aced the exam. Reserve a room in the library, maybe one that has a whiteboard, so you can compare and contrast notes, clarify topics, and make a list of questions for the official in-class review session.
4. Get your calendar/schedule in order.
There's nothing worse than over-booking yourself in such a stressful time. Make sure you write down when all your finals are (and where they are), when your papers are due, when review sessions are held, and maybe write out a series of personal deadlines to pace yourself.
5. Get enough sleep.
You don't want to be dozing off in the middle of a review session, or worse, the final itself. This is why pacing your studies is a good thing, so you also can have time to get enough rest. You want to be fully conscious.
6. Eat enough food.
Your mind needs to be focused on the test and not what you want to get for lunch. Besides, you don't want to be THAT person whose stomach sounds like a dying whale in the middle of the final. You want to have the energy to push through the test.
7. Drink enough water.
Coffee and Redbull can only make it so far. Stay hydrated, stay focused. Also, if you're stress-eating junk food, balance that out with water and not sugary drinks.
8. Take a day to un-wind.
Now onto the fun stuff. If you're on track and you're starting to feel stressed, don't feel bad to just take a day and relax for yourself, or even just take a few hours. Do something to get your mind off of studying. Chances are, you'll be entirely focused and ready to study when you get back to it. Taking breaks is a good thing.
9. Watch a movie.
I have an excuse to watch a movie because my Cinema Studies term paper prompt is to watch a movie and write about its cinematic elements. But if you're not as lucky as I am, take a break and put something on that can lift your spirits and your worries.
10. See a show.
Maybe there's a showcase on campus, or there's a student trip to the city, or you just want to get away for a night, go to a theatre, whether it's Broadway, community, or even the movies. See something you've never seen before.
11. Get your holiday shopping done.
If you have the time, go to the mall and pick up a few things. It'll just be easier to do that now instead of three days before Christmas when you finally get back home. If you have a morning final, go to the mall right after for a few hours to get that doom you just sat through for two hours off your mind.
12. Start packing your things early.
If you're like me, you're going to want to get off campus and back home as soon as humanly possible. Start packing what you're taking back home bit by bit so you're not rushed to do it last second (and then everything's falling out of your suitcase and halfway home you realize you left your phone in your dorm). Get everything together bit-by-bit.
13. Start a countdown to break.
You'll get more and more excited, and more motivated to do well on your finals so you can just leave without a worry and go home for six weeks. You deserved it. Don't get too wrapped up in it, though, but just enough to get you motivated to make one final good impression on your professors.
Good luck!
