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Study Tips for Surviving Finals

More students than not come into college without an idea of how to properly study, leading them to stress about the “dos and don’ts” of studying, thereby causing them to miss out on studying altogether. With finals week rolling around, the fear of not studying enough or the correct way looms over students’ heads like a thunder cloud. However, studying really isn’t as hard or as scary as it is made out to be. All you have to do is find out what works for you.

First, you need to find your learning style. Learning styles include visual, auditory, reading/writing preference, and kinesthetic, or hands-on. Finding your learning style is vital in studying because to properly study, you need to use which style will help you learn the subject best, not just memorize terms. For example, if you are an auditory learner, kinesthetic learning will likely not be productive for your learning experience.

Next, you need to cultivate a productive study space. This means a space free of distractions, such as other people, technology, loud noises, or other things that take your focus away from the task at hand. Have all your study materials ready so you can stay stationed for as long as possible, with water and snacks accessible so that you remain fueled.

Before you even begin, you need to have a plan and goals, and you need to stick to them. Set a specific amount of time to study for each topic, have goals you want to reach at the end of each study session, and plan for anything else that may be specific to you, such as practice or potential distractions.

Don’t shy away from asking for help. Having others who understand what you are struggling with help you is greatly beneficial. Communicate with classmates and meet up to go over material, brainstorm, and support one another. Help one another by quizzing each other, pushing one another to reach goals, and leaning on one another for support when it gets hard.

If you don’t want to use classmates for support or if they are unavailable, there are many resources on the 51³Ô¹ÏÍøÊÓƵ campus to help. Every professor has office hours, so if you need their specific help, set up a time to meet with them within those hours to discuss concerns and ask questions.

51³Ô¹ÏÍøÊÓƵ also offers Multidisciplinary Tutorial Services. To set up an appointment, you can go to wbu.edu, and under ‘Academics,’ you will find ‘Tutorial Services.’ On this site, you will find the service’s phone number, email, location, and instructions on how to set up an appointment via Face-to-Face, E-Tutoring, or Online.

Lastly, take it easy on yourself! Take breaks and focus on maintaining positive mental and physical health. Taking breaks allows our brains to relax and soak in all the information we just took in. And don’t forget to reward yourself for your hard work. This will keep up your motivation and even make the work enjoyable. But just because you are “done” studying doesn’t mean you are done. Be sure to continue to review and learn the material, even if you feel you have it all down.

Finals week is hard and it is stressful, but it is not designed to tear us down, so don’t let it!