Preparing for Finals

By Anne Weese, M.S.

It's that time of the semester again. You are tired, you are stressed, you are anxious to go home and see your family. Yet still, you have to recall all the information you have learned throughout the semester during your final exam. Here are some tips that will help you while you are studying for your final exams:

Get sleep! You will be more effective and perform better when you are well rested than you will if you stay up all night cramming.
Eat Healthy! Avoid the heavy, greasy, and sugar-loaded foods; they will leave you feeling tired and lethargic. Remember that fruits like apples provide a natural boost of mood and energy and green leafy vegetables help with your memory!
Learn how to create relaxation and use these skills (deep breathing, mindfulness, imagery) during the test if you find yourself becoming too anxious or nervous.
Understand what how you learn best. Do you take notes? Make note cards? Study in groups? Study alone??? Understand what type of preparation works best for you then DO IT!
Read the test instructions thoroughly. Many students fail to answer all of the questions asked because of their carelessness.
Begin immediately and answer the questions that you know first. Then, come back and answer the more difficult questions.
Review and scan your work before submitting your exam. You can catch missed questions, unanswered essay questions, etc.
Use old worksheets and tests as study guides.

Remember, the best preparation you can do begins early in the semester. Regularly attending classes and actively engaging in those classes will help you later in the semester.

GOOD LUCK!