As we continue to get closer to Christmas, we also get closer to finals. Finals can bring about a lot of stress, more cramming, and less sleep. However, I have learned some tricks over the years that have helped me get the most out of my studying with the least amount of stress and time. By doing this, I have been able to guarantee myself six hours of sleep before having to take my finals each day.
I know some of my peers will swear by using apps like “Socratic” or Google searching the questions in order to find the answers on a PowerPoint or a test bank. However, I am going to focus on how you can honestly learn the material and understand it. By doing so, you will be able to apply this information in your future careers.
Every day after class throughout the semester, I take roughly an hour to type up my notes from the lecture. Each class receives its own separate file to provide better organization. I continue to use the same headings and subheadings my professors used in class in order to keep the information organized. This second repetition of the material allows me to review the material and permits me the time to evaluate if I have any questions to ask at the next lecture. Once we get closer to exam time, I request professors to give study guides or review questions to assist in our studying. If you receive a study guide, I recommend printing off the typed notes and then highlighting the items in your notes which correspond to the study guide. This allows me to quickly read the subjects that I know will be covered on the exam as opposed to the entire compilation of the notes. This has helped me save time and remember the material faster. Look at the photos below for an example of how to implement this trick to your notes.
In addition to having your notes typed, the additional benefit is being able to use the “find” function in your notes to quickly find the answer. If your professor allows you to use your notes during an exam you can either have a split-screen or use a separate device. If you are stumped on a question you can either do “Ctrl + F” or “Command + F” in order to search up a key term or phrase to find the answer among your notes. This has saved me a lot of time on timed examinations as I do not have to sit there flipping through pages of handwritten notes.
Please like, comment, and subscribe to my blog to get a notification when I release new content each week. Please share any studying or exam prep that you have tried and found to be helpful to you. Also, if you have any specific topic you would like me to write about please add it to the comment section. Talk to you all next week. Good luck with your finals!