By Justine Carmine
Lifestyles Editor
It’s that time of year again: Finals.
Whether you’re a freshman finishing up your first year or you’re a graduating senior, one thing is certain: finals aren’t fun. Studying for hours on end in the library or rotting away in front of your computer writing a seven page paper isn’t anyone’s cup of tea. How can you ease the pain of finals? Try following these useful tips to help your study sessions become more exciting and less excruciating:
Power in Numbers:
Studying with a group of people in your class can help ease the monotony of studying alone. You can also learn more by quizzing each other on the material and rewarding the person who gets the most questions right with a small prize. Remember that this isn’t a social outing – try to help each other remain on task. Also, pick a location that’s conducive to studying and won’t distract you or your group.
Don’t forget sustenance:
Bring energy-boosting foods like popcorn and fresh fruit to your study session so your group doesn’t crash and burn in the middle of the cram session. However, don’t load up on the coffee or energy drinks. While it may be tempting to get that extra jolt of energy, the crash that develops after will leave you feeling exhausted and even cause headaches.
Play the Teacher:
Try teaching your subject to someone who isn’t in your class. By talking about what you learned in class will help you remember the material more easily. By explaining material to someone, you are also explaining it to yourself.
Don’t Procrastinate:
Studying the night before for a Microbiology exam isn’t a good idea, especially if you’re also studying for multiple exams. Try studying at least seven to ten days before a final and then go back and refresh your memory before the exam. It’s tedious, but reading over notes multiple times will help you remember the material more easily.
Lastly: Try not to pull all-nighters.
Going through the exams exhausted and fuzzy will not get you a higher GPA. A study in the January 2008 issue of Behavioral Sleep Medicine found that students who regularly pulled all-nighters tended to have lower GPAs than those who didn’t. Try studying in the early afternoon and going to bed at a decent hour at night. You’ll wake up feeling refreshed and ready to conquer your finals.
This is a stressful time of year; however, it doesn’t have to be. By following these helpful study tips, you’ll find that finals don’t have to cause anxiety or be overwhelming. And remember, that summer is just around the corner.