Surviving College Finals Week
Hey everyone! This week is exam week for me at my university. I know first hand how stressful college exam week can be! Between trying to understand all of those calculus equations (you know...the ones you never learned the first time around?) and writing all of those big papers at the last minite (because the professors like to schedule papers to be due all in the same week), the stress can become overwhelming. Here's a few tips to help you survive finals week:
1) Get organized! This is probably the easiest tip on the list--yet so many avoid the work of getting organized. It's really hard to study for that Psychology final when you've lost all of your notes, flashcards, and study materials. Studying for your final will be a breeze if you start out on a good note from the start of the semester. This means having a binder or notebook for each class and keeping it organized. Use tab dividers to keep sections of your notebook seperate and keep papers and notes easy to find. Take organized notes throughout the semester. I find that it works best for me to type notes on my laptop during class. When I get home, I print the notes out and put them in the notebook that I've assigned to that particular class. When the exam approaches, I first find out exactly what will be on the exam. Then I go through the notes and highlight the material that will appear on the exam. Go though your textbooks and do the same (If you haven't taken them out of the packaging, now's a good time to do so!). When you have all of your information highlighted, type up an outline containing all of the exam material on a word document or something similar. Memorize and understand this outline!! If you perfer flashcards, use them in addition to your outline.
2) Get an agenda! You MUST have an agenda to be organized. You need a place to write down due dates, exam dates, assignments due, ect. An agenda allows you to do so and to keep all of your important information in one place. Lilly Pulitzer and Vera Bradley make cute ones.
3) Put your social life on hold...just not completely! Yes, you should say no to needless shopping sprees, parties, and large social gatherings. You should however schedule and plan some time to go out to lunch with the girls or have a dinner date with the boyfriend. This will give you a chance to take your mind off of school and help you to refocus so that you will be able to study more effectively afterwards. In short, take a break when you need it so that you won't feel deprived; just don't put your social life at the top of your priority list during finals week.
4) Wear comfortable clothes during the exams. This is not the time to wear those 4-inch heels and little black dress (sounds crazy, but it happens). Yes, I said comfortable, but that doesn't mean t-shirts and pajama pants. Comfy sweaters and jeans or jeggings and boots can be just as comfortable and a whole lot more stylish! Pullovers and jeans are also popular outfits to wear during exam week.
Good luck on your finals, girls!
