As my first full semester as a graduate student within Boston University’s Pardee School of Global Studies comes to a close, I am reunited with my own academic beast…FINALS SEASON.
Just when you think you are on top of your school work and rocking being a quasi adult, finals season settles in. This is here to humble us, remind us of how weak our willpower is when we are tired and stressed, and help us justify all mental breakdowns and eat a whole bag of Takis. Because you will never have time to start studying for your finals on the first day of classes, here are five tips to make studying for finals a bit easier:
iCal is Your Friend
iCal can make your life color coded and seemingly organized. You can schedule your study sessions using the Notes section to outline what you would realistically be able to get done in each session. You can also schedule in a walk and/or time at the gym. More simply, you can schedule yourself into balance.
As a suggestion, I don’t assign study sessions for more than 2 hours without a break to walk, go to the gym, grab coffee with a friend, or to just go back to my apartment for a shower and some lunch.
Exercise and Netflix
Maybe, like me, you are watching The Wire for the first time. While I could refrain from watching for finals period, I allow myself one episode (one hour) of The Wire a day while on the elliptical or treadmill . This cardio will help me work out my stress and anxiety about my finals while also allowing me to watch a show that I really enjoy. Also, allowing for only one episode puts a time cap on my “free” time.
While this is often undervalued while in finals season, the exercise will refresh your brain and get you ready to get back into studying. You can’t just sit in the library for 8 hours and think you are going to retain everything you just read/studied. You are going to need to walk away, get some space from your work, and you will return more ready to go.
Nightly Meditation Session Before Bed
…Even if you only have 5 or 10 minutes.
Along the same line as exercise, meditating will freshen your brain and relax your nervous system making it easier to focus and stay focused while you read, take notes, and create your study guides. Some apps to help with this would be HeadSpace, Inscape, or just look on YouTube for “guided meditation.”
If guided meditation isn’t your thing, paint your nails or pull out a fun coloring book to wind you down and get you to focus on non-school related things. I also like to listen to a funny podcast like Lovett or Leave It or a throwback playlist from Spotify while I do this.
Beware of Bad Snacks
Sugar and Caffeine. I love some bit-of-honeys and a venti Starbucks but if I have too much caffeine and sugar, I’ll be useless as it gets later in the day and I am sugar or caffeine crashing. I try to avoid this by packing snacks and keeping them in my bag when I head to the library:
- Carrots and Trader Joe’s Jalapeño Hummus
- Almonds or Pistachios
- Apples and Clementines
- Edamame
- String Cheese
- Pretzels
- Roasted Chickpeas or World Peas’ Ranch or Wasabi Dried Peas
Study Groups and Study Guides
Everyone studies differently but I make study guides that help me combine my notes from lectures and discussions and assigned readings. I look back at course themes and generate a list of potential questions and use my notes to answer them. If the professor has described the structure of the exam, I try to structure my study guide to have a similar format.
I also find around 2-5 people in the class to study with. We talk through what we think will be important, what we are confused by, and review as a group.
Lastly, Give Yourself Some Room to Breathe/Some Space
With study period and finals, you are going to be stressed out to the max. Maybe stressed out you needs dinner with friends to vent and just be or maybe you need some alone time in your room to read a fun book. Either way, give yourself some time to just be yourself and also do some things that feed your soul.
Good Luck with your Exams!
The Balanced Academic 