Eight Tips for Final Exam Week
The calendar has turned to May so you know that the end of the school year is coming. That’s the good news. The bad news is that to get there you must travel through the hell week known as FINAL EXAMS.
Learning how to deal with the stress of final exams is a critical part of success in high school and college. Hopefully, each semester you get better at it, but it is never a cakewalk. Remember that finals week is not supposed to be fun – it is worth months of school work – so sacrifices have to be made. Try to visualize how happy you will be when you are done! It will be well worth the effort. Here are some tips:
Gather all of the materials you will need to study – knowing what you need to know and having those materials is the first step: review sheets, class notes, books, returned tests, quizzes, and papers. If you don’t have something, ask a friend if s/he has it.
Prioritize – figure out what is the most important subject for which you need to prepare. Be honest with your assessment and determine which scores you need in order to reach the grade you desire.
Make a schedule – starting early and actually writing out a study schedule in your assignment notebook helps in juggling the various subjects for which you need to prepare. Be realistic in how much time you will need to prepare for each class. The challenging part is sticking to the schedule.
Limit your use of electronic devices – cut your texting down to 100/day instead of 500! Unplug the X-box. Take a break from Facebook. Record your TV shows and watch them after finals.
Get help – see a teacher, study with a classmate, go in for tutoring, or work in a study group (make sure it is a real study group – not just a social group).
Find a quiet place to study – You need to FOCUS this week. A library will not have the same distractions as your home. At least, study at a desk or table, not in your bed. Find that special place where you can get your work done efficiently. Work smarter…not harder.
Set goals and take breaks – setting goals are important throughout the year, especially during finals week. When you reach a study goal, take a break. Reward yourself with something fun. Recharge!
Health and Wellness – this is perhaps the most important thing to do because if your brain isn’t working well, then all the studying is for not. Eat well, get sleep (do not pull all-nighters), exercise, and stay hydrated. If you’re exhausted, stop. You’re just wasting your time. Above all, do not get so stressed out that you can’t think.
These tips, as well as many other ways to work on your executive functioning skills are taught in our Ideal Student Workshops. Check out the details on our website. Good luck on your Final Exams!