How to Prepare for Finals

The holidays are rapidly approaching, and with that is every student’s fear.  Whether you are in high school, college, or graduate school you know and fear the word ‘finals’.  This is the time of year when you have to regurgitate all of your knowledge onto a stack of paper, and hope for the best.  Here are some tips to help you prepare for the busiest week of the semester

1. Compile all of your notes for every class.  Make a separate stack for each class.  When it comes time to study for a particular class, it is nice to know that all of your notes are in one area.  Wasting time digging for notes is bad.  Find them now, and keep them out.  My bedroom floor works best for me.
2. Make a schedule of when each final is and find times that you can study for each class
3. Study in small chunks every day the week before the test.  Cramming everything into your brain the night before the test will only hurt you.
4. Your time is precious, don’t waste it.  Study what you do not know.  Trust yourself to remember what you already know
5. See Catherine Forsythe’s post Time Management: A Way to Better Grades
6. Relax and have fun.  After each final, don’t jump right back into the pool.  Take the night off and let your brain rest.
7. Get a full night’s sleep before every final.  Staing up all night and studying will hurt you more than it will help you.  Your body works best without sleep debt.

I hope these tips help you in preparing for your finals.  Best of Luck!

-Justin