Finals week is finally here (pun intended). Just one week of
exams, papers, and other various assessments stand between you and the joys of
being finished with classes. Your imminent freedom is so close you can taste it
– you picture yourself after your last final, gleefully tossing your old
assignments into the air while making snow angels on the front lawn of Woodburn
Hall. As you climb aboard the bus from Morgantown to your winter break
destination, the bus driver gives you an acknowledging nod and grin, while the
passengers begin to slow clap. You see your family beaming down at you as you
sift through piles of gifts on Christmas morning: “We’re so proud of you for
getting a 4.0 this semester,” they say, as they hand you the keys to a new BMW.
Your younger siblings exclaim that they hope to be as smart as you are when
they get to college. Then, you all join hands, dance around in the snow, and
sing the song that The Whos sing at the end of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. “Fah who foray, da who doray!” they all sing as you
shout, “Acing my finals was the best thing that’s ever happened to me!”
Suddenly, you’re catapulted back to reality by the cold
stares of your fellow library-dwellers. Had you just made an audible peep while
inside the Robinson Reading Room? Whoops.
You gaze back down at your laptop, and suddenly feel a lot like this
dog:
Finals are a tough time of year. They generally feel like
the Hunger Games of the academic world. So how can you “stay alive” during
finals week? Read on for some useful tips…
1)
Check how much of your grade the final is
actually worth.
Finals are only one part of your
grade. Read your syllabus, figure out what percentage of your grade the final
is worth, and then calculate what you need to get on the final in order to get
the grade you want. Ask a friend in the course or your professor to help you
find this number if you are unsure of how to do it yourself. For example, I
have a high B in one course this semester. I need a 99% on the final to get an
A in the course, but can get a D on the exam and still keep my B. Do the math,
and you’ll probably realize that there’s no need to panic.
2)
At the same time, don’t be too relaxed.
Don’t panic, but also don’t slack
off on your finals. You should still try to do as well on the final as you
possibly can, just in case you end up needing those extra points that you might
have found in #1. And personally, I like to just try my best at everything!
Working hard on your final is especially necessary
if the final is worth a big part of your grade, or if not all your grades have
been posted for you to calculate yet.
3)
Take breaks!
Finals week doesn’t mean you have
to shut yourself away from the world and study 24/7. In fact, studies show that
students who spread out their time studying and take breaks retain material
better than students who cram. So don’t drop everything, like exercising or
eating healthily, just because it’s finals week. Instead, consider integrating
these things into your study breaks; you could take twenty minutes to cook
yourself a good meal, go for a run, or take a nap (but know that naps longer
than twenty minutes can leave you feeling groggy due to slipping deeper into
your sleep cycle). Also, remember, “study break” isn’t a synonym for “procrastinating.”
Schedule study breaks, and when your time is up, get back to studying.
4)
Use an effective study method.
The key to learning material is repetition, not cramming. This helpful article from University of Pennsylvania explains a great way to study.
5)
Get enough sleep.
You’ve heard it a million times,
but this tip really is a good one. You’ll do much better on your exams if you’re
well rested! Sleep deprivation caused by pulling an all-nighter can leave you
confused and writing nonsense on your exam. I once pulled an all-nighter, had
to eat Oreos to keep myself awake, and felt myself getting loopy and writing
nonsensical stuff all over my papers while revising my English portfolio. By
the time 8am came around, I crashed and ended up falling asleep in my Biology
lab. I felt like a zombie, and since then, I’ve never pulled another all-nighter.
Additionally, resist the urge to go out on “off” days – if you party, your body
and mind will need time to recover, too. Instead, consider using that time to
get a head start on other exams!
With these five tips in mind, you
really can find success during finals week! Good luck to all of you on your
exams – all of us here at Adventure WV know you’ll do great!
Olivia J
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