Kevin Bradley
Staff Writer
With November come and gone, we enter into the last leg of the fall semester and begin preparations for final exams. Most of you have dealt with these many times before, but for those that haven’t or those prone to stress, studying can be a brutal experience.
Everything seems fine but then, out of nowhere, the semester ends, and you have huge tests to take. Speaking from experience, these exams looming over can lead to many sleepless nights. But I’ve found some ways to avoid a complete mental breakdown while getting ready for finals week.
First off, the key is to relax a bit. Recognize that you have time to study in the following week and that you aren’t taking these tests alone. Simply talking it over with friends in the same class can be a huge confidence boost and make you feel less alone in studying. Getting a group together can make the test seem smaller and easier to conquer now that it’s not just you doing the work.
If there are any classes that you know will give you trouble, try asking for help from a student who’s already taken it with the same teacher. Teachers rarely change their tests or style in any huge way, so talking with someone who’s already been through the class can help you get a better handle on how to prepare. It goes without saying that the best person to ask is usually the teacher.
Like it or not, a few all-nighters of studying may be unavoidable, but that doesn’t have to be horrible. The library extends its hours during finals week, making it a great place to study out of your room. Being in the same comfortable place most of the time can lead to distractions, plus the library will be full of people doing the same thing as you. Going there with a cup of coffee and a banana can get you through almost anything before it’s time for school the next day.
The biggest thing to remember is this: it shouldn’t come down to one test. While important, the finals don’t equate to the months of work leading up to it, nor should they. They are just an assessment of how well you’ve retained the studies over the semester, but your grades are built during that time. If you’ve been a solid performer this long, then you’ll be fine. Good luck!
bradlekp14@bonaventure.edu
