Here is some study tips to get you through finals by college students for college students!
With the coming of Christmas break comes the horror of what university students are calling “hell week” — the time that exists between the Thanksgiving break and Christmas break on U.S. college campuses. With this time comes burnout and the stress of finals week. Yet, people in universities throughout the world are starting to stress about their finals. So, what are some tips and tricks in order to do better on these finals, and how can one ensure their mental wellness during this stressful period?
1. Pomodoro Method
One method that college students can implement into their studying in order to help them better manage their learning time is the Pomodoro Method. First, choose the tasks to focus on during your work. This can be a specific piece of work, a goal in a larger piece of work, or a topic that you would like to focus on. Next, you must set a timer for twenty-five minutes and start your work as soon as you start the timer.
For the third step of this process, you must strictly focus on your task. Do not look at your phone or refer to any other information on your work device that does not have to do with the task at hand. Concentration is key, and distraction must be avoided. After the third step, take a five-minute break. This can be used for a number of things: get a glass of water, use the bathroom, listen to a song, do some stretches, or check your phone.
After this, you must repeat these four steps four times. Then, after the fourth repetition, you can take a longer break of 20 minutes. The Pomodoro method ensures studying and working college students both completely focus on the work they have at hand and an efficient way to plan their reviewing time. Thus, the Pomodoro method is a helpful trick for college students during their studies.
2. Mind-Mapping
For college students who are visual learners, there is a review method called mind mapping. Mind maps are a visual aid that can help you interpret key concepts and connections in your notes. General outline tips for creating mind maps are as follows: place your main concept in the middle of your mind map, connect sub-topics to the main concept using branches, and use branches to attach other ideas to these sub-topics. You can use as many drawn images or words as you want. You can be as creative as you’d like with your mind map as long as it benefits your studying!
3. The SQ3R Method
The SQ3R learning method stands for survey, question, read, recite, and review. First, you must survey by skimming your readings and taking down notes of any important headings, images, or charts. Second, you must question by creating questions regarding the reading and its concepts. Then, you must read by reading the chapter in its entirety. Then, you must recite by summarizing what you read and reflect upon key concepts in the reading. Finally, you must review by going back to the reading and re-reading any parts that were confusing or unclear. This learning method can help you better understand topics that you are unsure about while regarding for your finals!
4. Remember to Look After YOU
While there are hundreds of different tips and tricks to study and memorize information for finals, there’s one thing college students should prioritize over all: themselves. It is important to take care of yourself during finals season. Remember to get proper amounts of sleep and eat nutritious meals! You should also stretch, stay hydrated by drinking a lot of water, and take time for yourself. Though there may be a lot on your mind, it is important to take time to relax and manage your stress during this time.
Whether it’s taking a break to watch your favorite show, taking a few deep breaths, reflecting on your stress, or dancing around to your favorite song, you should take the time to take care of yourself during ‘hell week.’ While finals are only a week long, setting up healthy habits for your mental health is a forever issue. To all Trill! Magazine readers studying for their finals, good luck and happy studying!
