Sarah Houston|Writer
December 12, 2024
As the impending doom of finals week comes near and near, here are five tricks to help you remain calm and be as successful as possible.
Starting with number one, create a study schedule. Don’t wait until the last minute or try to “wing it” like Arie Acuna, a junior at San Clemente High School said he does. Although it might work for him, it does not for everyone. It can be overwhelming to attempt to cram it into one day with no organization at all. Instead, create a list that prioritizes subjects that you need more help with or that are coming up first in the week. This way, it is easier to ask for help before it becomes too late. Along with this, set timers in increments of 15, 30, or an hour with a 5-10 minute break at the end. This makes it less stressful and gives you something to work towards, other than a good grade. If you get lost in studying, an hour won’t seem so long.
The second tip is to move locations when you are studying. Staying in one place for too long, or studying where other work is usually done, can cause the mind to get antsy and start to wander. By moving locations, it keeps the mind and body engaged and ready to succeed. To add to this, don’t study in your bed or on a couch. Go to a café, library, or even on the floor next to your bed to help your mind focus on the work at hand. Studying in different places also helps your memory, because you have different surroundings to associate with a certain fact or subject. A quiet and peaceful environment makes for a calm and successful test later down the line.
The third thing to do is complete practice tests or exams. A lot of time, teachers give out study guides or other resources to help students, so use them! Completing practice exams will make it less of a surprise to what is on the tests and help prepare for the formatting. Knowing the layout of the exam will help in giving full focus on the questions. Testing is easier when taken comfortably. This brings out another good point- wear comfortable clothing to have no distractions for yourself, or others.
Studies back up the fourth tip and trick by showing that if you pretend to be gossiping, or teaching another person the subject you are trying to learn, whether you think you are good enough to teach it or not is irrelevant, then you are much more likely to remember it and have a better grasp on its understanding. Even if you believe you know the subject, this can be a good tool to use.
The last and final tip is to get a good amount of sleep the night before an exam and have a fulfilling breakfast. You must come in well-rested and ready to take on whatever the tests throw at you. MJ, a junior at San Clemente, said she even studies “two days prior, so [she] can get a bunch of sleep the night before the final.”
Doing all these tips and tricks is sure to help in all the academic battles that are to come with finals. Set up a week full of success, and thank yourself later.
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