Finals Study Tips

As the end of the year comes up, it brings with it the one thing that can inspire more dread in a college student than a pregnancy scare: finals. As you prepare for your end-of-semester exams, here are some study tips to help you out.

Go somewhere you won't be distracted
You won't be able to get any work done if you're somewhere that you aren't able to focus. As appealing as your living room, the cafeteria or the local coffee shop seem, if you're constantly being interrupted by your friends, or distracting sights and sounds. Go to the library, lock yourself in your room, or find that one special place that you can completely focus in and go there every time you need to study or get work done.

Turn off your phone
You won't be able to finish that 20 page paper if you're writing text messages instead! Put it on airplane mode, stick it in your bag, and only let yourself check it at set times or once you've accomplished certain goals, such as reading a set amount of pages or memorizing a certain number of flash cards.

Eat!
Though all you might need is caffeine to get your study grind on, make sure that you don't skip meals during crunch time! Being hungry can make you irritable, unable to focus, and can hurt your memory, so make sure you pack some study snacks for the library. Also be sure to drink lots of water, as caffeine can dehydrate you.

Plan ahead
You can save yourself a lot of stress if you plan ahead at the beginning of the semester. When you get your syllabus for each class, add the due dates to your calendar and set up a study plan, where you break the work into manageable chunks throughout the semester. Stick to the plan and you won't have to pull any dreaded all nighters!