Finals Don't Have To Be So Stressful

By Uche Abanobi
Staff Writer

The end of the semester is almost here and pretty soon students will be pulling out their hair in frustration trying to study every bit of information they can in order to pass their classes. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, finals are indeed stressful. Here are a few tips one should follow in order to limit finals week stress.

•  Attendance
  Go to class. If you go to class consistently you are more likely to know the course material. Do not go to class and leave early because this defeats the whole purpose. Do not go to class and fall asleep because this also defeats the purpose. Some teachers discuss what they will put on the exam and its format in class, and by not attending class you could miss out on this vital information that could indicate how to study for your exam.
• Take Notes
  Taking good notes in class is important. If you have good organized notes, it will be easier to study because you could always look back in your notes on something you aren’t too sure about. Try to pick out the most important things the professor says and jot them down. It also helps to underline or highlight key words so it will be easier to refer to them later.
• Start Early
  Do not procrastinate. Do not wait till the night before your big chemistry final, which is worth 40 percent of your grade, to start studying. You are more likely to retain information better if you start studying in advance. Try to start looking over your notes or whatever course material you have at least a week before the final. Depending on how good you are in the class you may want to devote more or less time.
• Pace Yourself
  It is easier to learn material in segments or chunks with breaks in between. Do not try to read all of Shakespeare’s Greatest Works in three hours. You’ll only end up with a big headache if you do. Study at a reasonable speed. Give yourself enough time to grasp what you are reading.
• Don't Cram
  Teachers always say don’t wait to the last minute to study and try to cram everything in. Well, they’re right. Cramming a semesters worth of information into your brain is not going to work. Once you cram something it goes into your short term memory, and is subject to being forgotten soon. Don’t try to cram, you’ll only end up frustrating yourself and wishing you had started studying earlier.
• Make a Schedule
  You should plan out when you plan to study, but also when you plan to eat, sleep, and have fun. Sometimes you can get so focused on studying that you forget or neglect to do everyday things like eat or sleep. Setting some time out is also vital because you need a break to just relax and enjoy yourself or else you may go crazy.
• Have a Study Environment
  You need to have a good study environment around you. Perhaps you may want to go to the library. Seeing other students study might motivate you to crack your books open. If that doesn’t do the trick, try forming a study group with other students from your class or friends. If you prefer to study alone in your room, avoid studying on the bed. Lying on the bed naturally makes you lazy or tired and isn’t good for studying. Also try to avoid dim lights because they will hurt your eyes and make it difficult to read. Try to sit at a desk with a good source of light. It is ok to be comfortable, but don’t get too comfortable to the point where you start napping in the middle of chapter 1.
• Take Breaks
  Go outside, stretch, take a walk, do something. Don’t just sit in front of your books day in and day out. Breaks are good because they break up the monotonous studying. When you return to your books you will feel refreshed and ready to take on another chunk of course material.
• Eat
  Remember to feed yourself. You won’t be able to learn much with a starving belly. You need to eat hearty meals to build up your energy. It is also good to eat breakfast the day of your exam, but do not eat anything too heavy. For instance, eating a dozen pancakes with globs of maple syrup and heaps of butter will only make you too full and tired. Try some cereal, juice, milk, toast or anything else that is light. However, do not eat while you are studying because it will either distract you, cause you to gain extra weight or distract you.
• Sleep
  Eight hours or however number of hours of sleep you need in order to get by and be alert is important. Be sure to get a full night’s rest, especially before your exam. You will wake up feeling refreshed and alert. However, do remember to set your alarm. Do not oversleep. Professors do not look kindly on students who oversleep and miss an exam, none the less a final.

These are just a couple tips to help you pass your finals with the least amount of stress possible. Remember to relax and take it easy, pulling out you hair won’t solve anything, but it will make you bald.