As finals approach, students are beginning to cram all their studying and assignments into all-nighters. The campus environment during the semester’s end is normally filled with feelings of stress and impending doom. However, there are some studying tips that I’ve come to love, which have helped me approach my finals with more confidence and success.
One useful tip is using a strategy called “active recall.” This is a tool many people are aware of but have never really given a full chance. Active recall is the act of re-approaching content you’ve learned at different points during studying. This would be something like using flashcards, where you test yourself for something in chapter one, then, when you’re on to studying for chapter five, you reintroduce the previous material.
This has truly helped me to jump start my memory. Actively trying to repeat information I’ve already learned helps it stay in my head longer, which was vital during exams for STEM classes, where a formula I learned in the beginning of the content was still relevant in the later chapters.
Making sure to take breaks sounds counterintuitive, but its helpful. It’s common to save all your studying for the last minute, then crunch all your material into one night. However, the lack of breaks — and sleep — prevents deep absorption of the material you studied, and I’ve often woken up to find that everything I’ve gone over the night before has evaporated from my brain.
While it’s easier said than done, studying is most efficient when you do it ahead of time. I am a chronic procrastinator, so I’ve often waited until the last possible minute to study for important exams. However, I found that I do my best when I give myself the time to take breaks while studying, without the pressure of time. Studying even a week in advance allows you to do a few hours a day, with well-needed breaks in between.
Your brain has a time limit for learning, and it’s been proved time and time again that “focusing our attention for too long can wear us out.” This APA article on the importance of taking breaks also mentions that taking breaks in between your work sessions will boost material retention, without the burnout and heightened stress.
These breaks can look different for anyone. Sometimes I just step away from my computer and go outside, other times I put on a video or listen to music. Some friends go out to get a quick meal, so they feel better fueled to continue their study sessions. Everyone has different studying habits, and it’s important to find what works best for you.
Cramming all your studying into the night before an exam unfortunately will not prepare you enough as you may think, and this is why it’s important to work with your brain’s potential, not against it. Finals are a stressful time for everyone, and every one of us is just trying to stay afloat.
Another great tip I have, which can honestly vary based on the people who surround you, is that group study sessions can be great! There are people who struggle to focus together and start to get off topic, but if you can surround yourself with those who plan on getting work done, there’s something beautiful about finding a flow with others who all work well together.
Studying with music while in a group of friends can be a great opportunity to keep you accountable, and I’ve found that when you settle into the right group, it becomes very rewarding. Having the support of your peers can keep you on task, and it’s nice to have people to accompany you when you’d otherwise be alone and stressed out.
Our support and compassion toward each other makes a big difference in our strength and confidence to achieve great scores on our exams. I hope that we all appropriately prepare for the test season that’s approaching us, and realize that our brains are so much more capable than we think. Good luck everyone — we’ve got this!
