What Not To Do During Finals

Quote of the Day: "You'll always come out better than how you went in"

Final Exam Week is almost here, what are we going to do? Well how about what we shouldn't do? 

Right now you are probably scrambling to study and put together all your notes you have in order to have a fighting chance at passing. 

Before you even start prepping for your own finals week, here are some ideas of what not to do come finals week. 

Don't Procrastinate: 

So this is going to be a tough tip to follow, it'll test your will of discipline. 

Avoiding procrastination will cause you less stress in the long run. Start studying in advance to your finals week to eliminate a need to pull all-nighters. 

Create a study plan and stick to it! 

Don't Marathon Study: 

Please try to avoid this if possible. Many students believe that the best way to pass exams is to sit in place for hours and try to cram a semester's worth of info. 

You'll find yourself glancing over class notes, Powerpoint slides, and the textbook. 

This may work for others but it could be a horrible way to study if you cannot find the right people or put all your time into studying only to not being able to retain anything. 

Just try to study for 30-60 mins at a time and remembering to take breaks between those study blocks. Your body is going to thank you come the final! 

Don't Waste the TAs or Professors Time: 

I have blogged about this before but there is nothing wrong with asking others for help. 

However, some students decide to wait until the end of the semester to throw in the towel and reach out to ask for help, making the professors feel as if there is not much they do could at that point since they will probably be busy trying to prepare the class for the exam. Not to mention grading and calculations of what the final letter grades will be. 

You would now be forced to take the exam and hope you do well. 

So if you're having trouble understanding a concept, talk to your professor as soon as possible. Also, don't question them by asking questions that could easily be asked to a classmate or found on your own. 

Don't Forget to Sleep and Eat Well: 

In all preparation for finals, we sometimes forget to take care of ourselves. 

Let's all remember to get enough sleep and eat healthy. The nights spent studying for whatever final will be wasted if you aren't mentally and physically prepared. (TIP: Chewing gum while taking an exam is supposedly a brain booster in helping you do well!) 

Sleep deprivation and even starving yourself will often end up with horrible results. 

So make sure to get at least seven hours of sleep and that you eat a good breakfast. Finals will prove to be a stressful and anxious time for a student to get the semester over with but without the self-care, you will not succeed in getting through those finals! 

One step closer to the semester almost being over! - Nathan O.