Finals: Setting Yourself Up For Success

We’re nearly at the end of November. If you’re in school, that means one of the most dreaded times of the year is coming up: finals week. You still have some time to set yourself up for success, and take it from me, you want to start now instead of procrastinating. So, what can you do to make sure your finals go smoothly?

Start preparing early.

You’ve probably heard it a million times, but it still rings true: start preparing for finals now instead of a few days before your exams. It’s so much easier to retain information when studying at a normal pace. Create a study schedule and stick to it! This makes studying far more approachable than trying to tackle everything at once.

Finals can be stressful. Make sure you don’t freak out by preparing early.

How much are your finals worth?

As bad as it sounds, it isn’t worth it to study just as hard for a final that’s worth 10 percent of your overall grade as a final that’s worth 30 percent in another class. Look at each one of your finals and how they factor into your course grade. You should prioritize each exam based upon your current grade, how much it’s worth, and how much work is needed. This helps you establish your schedule for studying.

Do the smart thing and hit the books early.

You don’t have to study alone.

If you isolate yourself while studying for finals, you start to feel the effects of burnout. It’s not healthy to sit in a room for several days and not socialize. Make sure you’re taking breaks, but hold yourself to the schedule you set. Study groups can help too! Your classmates could help you clarify misunderstandings, or fill in gaps in your notes. Not to mention one of the best ways to remember a concept from class is to teach it to someone else!

Study groups can actually help you a lot if you don’t get distracted!

Early preparation for finals will help you reduce stress! If you’re navigating a busy schedule (especially if you have an internship), you need to adhere to a pretty strict schedule to excel at your exams. Make sure you let your supervisor know when finals start, so you can get a little leeway in scheduling. If you haven’t found an internship yet, don’t forget to utilize Indiana INTERNnet!