Hey everyone,
I hope you all are staying healthy during these rough times! As finals approach, a lot of us are starting to lose motivation to study and prepare, especially given our situation. I know, and I've been there even before the COVID-19 situation. Don't fear though because I'm here to be your virtual cheerleader to tell you not to give up during this final stretch. Everyone just needs a little encouragement during these times. Here are some tips to help yourself before finals!
Figure out your finals schedule. Here at NIU, we have a separate finals schedule that may take place outside of regular class times. Some classes also have mass exams where everyone in that course number takes the exam in the same room at the same time. There are certain finals that even take place on Saturday, and I was one of those unfortunate people one semester. I have heard so many horror stories of students sleeping through finals or forgetting about it completely because it was scheduled at a different time. If you attend NIU and need to figure out your final exam time, here the link for the standard exam times: https://www.niu.edu/registration-records/dates/exams/standard-exams-spring.shtml, and here's the link for the mass exam times: https://www.niu.edu/registration-records/dates/exams/mass-exams-spring.shtml. Because of online teaching, there are some professors that may not be following the set final exam schedules at all, so to be certain what time your exam is, be sure to email your professors.
Create a study schedule. Now that you have your final exam schedule. You can work on creating times to study. Ideally, it is good to study two weeks before finals. Then, you can study in little chunks every day instead of cramming all the day before. I usually start by making time for the classes I am worried about the most. If it comes down to me not having enough time to study, it is easier to cram for an easier class rather than a hard class. In addition, some final exams are accumulative across the whole semester, and others are on specific chapters towards the end of the semester. Be sure to talk to a classmate or email your professor to make sure what content you need to study.
Stick to your study schedule. The hardest part of all of this is making sure you stick to your schedule. Choose a designated study spot that's only dedicated to studying like a desk or a table. It's nice to study on the couch or on your bed, but those places tend to be for leisure purposes or sleeping, and being too comfy may make you too lazy to study. Take out any distractions that are in your study space. This includes any leisure type items that may disturb your focus, and your phone counts as one of these items. I always try to keep my phone face down and leave it at the top corner of my desk or out of sight. If you have to use your phone as a studying tool, you could try to look into productivity apps that help lock you out of certain distracting apps for a set amount of time. Also, at the very most, it's helpful to use your phone as a timer for the duration you are studying. Never study more than an hour at a time without taking a break. No matter what, you need to care about yourself a little bit, and with studying for an intense subject, it's easy to burn out. Even as short as a 5-minute break can prevent that. If you are still having difficulty focusing, put on some white noise, classical music, or lofi music to help set the mood. My favorite lofi mix is a famous YouTube video by Chilled Cow of a girl sitting at her desk studying. Otherwise, if focusing is still a struggle, make sure you are physically well enough to study. Don't forget to drink water and have a healthy snack with you. Take a nap if you need to and maybe try to walk around to clear your head. It can also help to have a friend or a family member try to keep you accountable for studying and have them ask you what you studied and explain it to them. Being able to talk someone through what you are doing is another form of studying.
Study with friends. Even if none of us are physically in the classroom together, friends in classes are still around studying the same material as you. It doesn't take too long to send a text message or set up a phone call/video call to discuss class material. You can run through practice problems together or quiz each other on content.
Get a good night's sleep before finals. DO NOT try to pull an allnighter before a final. It is not worth it. You will be tired and grumpy the next day, and even worse, you won't retain any of your late-night studying. Sleep helps you create long-term memories. Without it, everything you went through the previous day would be a waste.
I hope my advice helps you. We are now in the homestretch. Just give it your all one last time and end the semester strong. Afterward, you have the whole summer, three months, to recover. Good luck with finals! I will be rooting for you!
- Theresa Li
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