The weeks devoted to studying for and taking final exams are a time of sleepless nights, anxiety, and generally poor health, thus, here some tips to ice your finals.
Reward yourself with a treat:
“Eat a gummie bear every time you finish a section. (Replace candy with whatever your vice is though I don’t suggest beers or shots of liquor because that makes you forget and the idea is to retain information not black out.)”
Cram effectively by reading upside down:
“If you need to cram, read upside down and aloud. As in, turn the paper upside down, not yourself lol. It’s slow, but it’s time efficient. You’ll focus more on what you’re actually reading/saying. It better than mindlessly staring at your books and repeating yourself quickly.”
Use all of your senses while studying:
“Engage as many sense as you can while studying: touch the paper if you’re writing on it, smell peppermint (keeps you alert — but try to smell it right before your exam as well), say your notes out loud, write your notes in different colors — the more senses you can engage, the more likely it will stay with you.”
Laugh now so that you don’t cry later:
“Crying when you laugh is due to built up tension and emotion hiding somewhere inside of you. Laughing releases that tension. With so much stress looming over getting a solid grade on your finals, it’s important to take a laughing break. Try watching a funny sitcom or YouTube video.”
Partner up with someone in your class:
“Find a classmate to study with and agree to the following policy: when either of you don’t understand a part of the notes, ask the other person. This will force you to verbally communicate what you’re studying to someone else in a way that they will understand it. Have them repeat their understanding of it after you explain it to them, and talk about it until you both have the idea down solid.”
Wear a watch:
“Even if you don’t usually wear a watch, take one with you to the final. It’s unlikely you will be able to look at your cell phone to check the time during the final.”
Teach a class of stuffed animals:
“Get a stuffed animal. Maybe get a few. A dozen or so. Then arrange them into an approximate class on your bed or in a study room (or classroom, if you can) and teach them the subject you’re learning … Teach a few classes to your stuffed menagerie, and then (and this is the really important part) get some f*cking sleep.”
Take advantage of whiteboards:
“Our dorm lounges have those huge ass classroom whiteboards. On days leading to exams I would spend my time writing notes on the board. Literature? Scribble them themes / characters / whatsoever. Physics? Write them definitions and formula. Chemistry? Draw them mechanisms. Works damn well every time.”
Drink water and eat fruit:
“Instead of energy drinks, drink plenty of water — and the occasional cup of coffee — while studying to help you stay hydrated and maintain a high level of cognitive function and energy. Eat plenty of fruits like blueberries and apples, which reduce the level of toxins in your bloodstream and improve memory function.” —
Create mental associations with the material:
“Relate things you learn to what you know. If its not relatable make things up. This is a powerful trick. It is really useful for vocab memorization. For example you learned ‘rojo’ is Spanish for red. Draw a connection between them. They both start with R. They are both short words. Imagine something red labled rojo in your mind.”
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