Finals Week Tips and Tricks

Finals week is one of the most important (and stressful) weeks of the year for most students. There are many ways you can go about finals week, but I will narrow it down to two strategies you can use to attack the beast we call finals.

Our first strategy is to completely blow off finals and pretend that they do not exist. This strategy is very effective if you plan on failing all of your finals and not going to college. I do not recommend this strategy as it has a very negative impact on your final grade and potentially more important aspects of your future. Do not attempt this strategy if you value your future education and job opportunities.

The last and most successful strategy in conquering finals week is to study for your tests. First of all, do not look at the week before finals as a break from homework where you don't need to do anything. The week before finals is just as important if not more important than finals week itself. Why? Studying. The lack of homework and plentiful free time gives you perfect conditions to start studying up for your classes. So, prepare yourself by stocking up on notebook paper and flashcards because you will need them.

 Pay attention to your teachers the week before finals because this is prime time for them to start handing out semester review sheets. These are very valuable reviews because often, teachers only put the knowledge that is absolutely necessary on the reviews. Also, reviews very closely resemble the final exam itself. Use these reviews to test what you remember without using your notes. Whatever you do not remember is what you should be studying. Use handouts and notes from earlier in the year to jog and enforce your memory on key topics.

Studying itself is not enough when it comes to finals week. You need to develop good habits and a study routine. When organizing a study space at home, find a quiet, distraction free place to set up camp. Gather all of your materials that you will need, I mean everything. Put away your phone and other electronics to minimize distraction. Now develop a routine that you have with each class. For example: study 1 hour science, 15 minute break, 1 hour math, 15 minute break, etc. get in a rhythm and hit on key topics that you don't want to forget. Find study habits that work for YOU.

For a video on studying tips click here.

Finals week can be a very stressful time for students, but with the proper preparation and study habits, every student has the ability to successfully master finals week.

"this is finals week." Photograph. Web. 2 Feb. 2014

"finals week over" Photograph. Success Kid Memes. n.d. Web. 2 Feb. 2014

beautyxflowerz. "Study Tips :) Finals, Quizzes, and Test." Youtube.  3 Jun. 2012. Web. 2 Feb. 2014