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12/9/2015 Taylor Tucker

Written by Taylor Tucker

 
Image from keepcalmandposters.com
Image from keepcalmandposters.com
It’s the end of the homestretch now and finals are about to begin.  I was wondering how different people prepare for finals, so I took a survey.  
 
Most of you like to study in cycles, doing review and practice problems or exams, then switching to something else like exercising or taking a break, and then repeating the cycle.
 
“Review notes, do practice problems, take practice exams, check what you missed, and do book problems in those areas,” one student advised. “Rinse and repeat the last three steps as much as possible.”
 
 “Get some study time in with classmates too,” another said.
 
There was also a general consensus that it’s good to spread studying out over a period of several days and keep up with review throughout the semester to prevent cramming at the end. Not sure how often this is actually successful… 
 
Some students alluded to how hard it can be to actually dig in and start studying. “I usually take the weekend to organize and postpone the actual studying process for as long as possible,” one student said.
 
Since any advice I can give about studying would probably come a little too late for most of you, I will instead address the days to come:  
  • Get some decent sleep (if possible) the night before the test and the night before the night before the test.
  • Eat a good breakfast on the days you have tests.
  • If there’s something you’re not understanding no matter what you try, sleep on it (for some people, including me, this really does work).
Remember that finals are just another step in the process. And it’s not like you haven’t done anything hard at school before… you got this.
 
Good luck everyone.
 

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This story was published December 9, 2015.