Tips for Final Exams

With the semester approaching its conclusion, we all begin to prepare for our finals for the classes we are taking. Tensions begin to rise, and we may sometimes get nervous whenever we have to take a test or an exam, but we are to try our best to remain cal
m and level headed. Yes, the grades for the exam carry a lot of weight, and failure may mean we get to repeat the class, but we have to stop focusing on the negatives and look towards the positives; success on our exams means we get to move on to the next class, it means we’ve overcome that difficult obstacle, and it gives us a greater sense of confidence that we can achieve more. 

Today, we’ll be giving some tips/practices that can help you prepare for your final exams: 

1. Create a study schedule: If you haven’t read the blog on the 8-8-8 rule, I suggest you should. It shows you how to efficiently spend your day, instead of just doom scrolling through brain rot on TikTok or Instagram. Learn when to distance yourself from your devices, and input a study time throughout the day. If you’re not a person that likes studying, don’t try to overload yourself with content to study; break it down throughout the day. Can’t study for 2 hours straight? Cut it down to 1. Can’t do that either? Do 30 minutes for 4 time frames during the day. You lack the energy to sit for those 10 extra minutes studying? Do 20 minutes 6 times a day, and you have 2 hours. After those mini study sessions, be cautious of what you’re doing afterwards; try active recall. Don’t just read and forsake the whole knowledge you’ve acquired. Before every session starts, try remembering as much as you can from the previous sessions. 

2. Stress management: After reading that first bit about creating a study schedule, it may seem superficial to some of you guys especially if you’re extremely busy throughout the day, and you just want to use the remaining time in the day to unwind and relax, but you could do that, and study too. If you work, whenever you get back from work (if you work day shifts) or before you go to work (if you work night shifts), optimize your relaxation time. Don’t do things that can make you tense up even though you like doing it. Take a quick nap, do things to the best of your capabilities, and enjoy the little moments, then you can incorporate your study schedule during your day. Imagine letting a game or a person from work hinder you from studying because of constant loss or what they said? Avoid dwelling on such trivial things, and redirect your energy towards your studies. 

3. Create a self practice test: By now , you should be accustomed to the format of the questions your professor sets for your exams, so you should be able to replicate that. If you can’t, and you have a good relationship with your professor, they may be willing to create one for you. Answer them genuinely, like how you would on the day of the actual exam; time yourself, close all books and studying materials, take the practice test and grade yourself. If you can get multiple practice tests, do them within a specific time frame. When you’re done with all of them, do some sort of data gathering. Questions of similar patterns or topics should exist, and if you find out that there’s a particular topic you keep failing, or question patterns you don’t understand, focus on that. 

4. Ask for help/support: Ever heard of study groups or tutors? Yeah, now’s the time you need them the most. Of course you were supposed to have these earlier on in the semester, but if you didn’t get them earlier, for whatever the reason may be, you definitely need them now. You may not be able to understand everything yourself, and maybe the professor doesn’t explain it in a way you understand, or there’s an accent barrier, creating study groups with peers and coursemates or even getting a tutor gives you a different perspective of learning the same content that may have been difficult for you to understand. Tutors can be alternatives to professors, and peers can even point out certain topics you’re supposed to study in case you forgot about them. 

5. Stay Positive: Honestly, this should be like a no brainer, and should go without saying. I mean, you have to believe in yourself before other people can believe in you. Confidence is key, but cockiness/pride can lead to failure, so be cautious. Maintain high spirits, but don’t feel like you know it all. Remain humble, confident in the effort you’ve put in, avoid negative thinking despite the anxiety you may be feeling, and do your best. 

Good luck out there guys, you’re gonna do so well; and I hope this was helpful 

By: Carlson Nwawuru