Finals…Stressful and Fun?

It seems like just yesterday the semester had just begun.  The excitement of the new semester has not even seemed to fade just yet, and now all of a sudden it is finals time.  Finals period is both a relaxed and stressful time.  You find yourself with so much to do, but also you have so much free time since classes are over.  The key is to utilize this time to the fullest extent so that finals can be both fun and productive.  There is so much you can do to make your finals experience a better one.  First off the key is to begin studying early.  Do not wait until the night before the exam to start looking over the material.  If you do not feel rushed to learn everything, you will find learning the material easier.  Similarly no matter the class make a cheat sheet for the exam.  Some professors allow them for test day, but even if you professor doesn’t just the process of making one and studying from it will help so much in narrowing down the important things to know for a class.  Also if you can form study groups to study for your exams, it is always better to go over the information with other people so you can at least talk about the topics out loud.  

An important thing to remember, you should not be studying nonstop during finals week.  Take time to relax.  Taking breaks from studying is okay, it will actually make you more productive in the long run.  Most organizations on campus organize some sort of study break event during finals.  Take advantage of all the free food they are giving out and attend some of these events.  Just remember to limit yourself to a few set breaks, so you do not find yourself spending more of your day at study breaks than actually studying.  If you set out a good schedule for yourself, your finals time can also be fun. 

A few last things to remember: 

1)      Get a good night’s sleep before all exams; it will be more helpful than studying for a few more hours

2)      Eat breakfast the morning of exams, especially those in the mornings, you do not want to take an exam on an empty stomach

3)      Finally, don’t forget after exams is break, no school for almost 3 whole weeks!

Good luck!