Does studying for finals make you feel tired, frustrated, and lost?

bridgestemtutoring
May 15, 2022
3 min read

Updated: Nov 5, 2022

Finals can be one of the most nerve-wracking times in the whole semester, regardless of what age you are. Stress, frustration, and worry kick in.

Well don’t worry, I’ve summarized a few tips/techniques you and your child can follow regardless of their age.

Put the phone away while studying. We all know that our technological devices can be a HUGE distraction. Based on societal standards, we are constantly on the phone 24/7 7 days a week. When we feel anxious, we grab the first thing we can get our hands on, which happens to be our phones.

Tip: Putting your phone away while studying for at least 30 minutes can lead to heightened productivity, focus, and drive to get things done. If you find it hard (like most students), set a timer.

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2. Study in increments, with small breaks in between. In this day and age, it is extremely hard to maintain focus for a long period of time. We constantly find other things to do that might distract us, delaying our study habits.

Tip: Try 5 min breaks followed by 20 mins of studying. This will allow for more focus and a way to break down the material-hence helping to focus and control procrastination.

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3. Create a quick study guide while going through the topics. An extremely helpful practice is creating a study guide; consisting of formulas and quick notes following each topic. The study guide doesn’t need to be long. It is a misconception that EVERYTHING from your notes must be on it. That is not the case!

Tip: For a study guide to be effective, it should be no longer than 2 pages with the most important aspects clearly written. Use a highlighter to stress importance.

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4. Use flashcards and create games on websites like Quizlet, Kahoot, etc. to test your knowledge. Educational games have a very high success rate in increasing focus as knowledge is directly tested. It can be a wake up call for what needs to be studied further and can be a very effective measure in timing yourself.

Tip: Games can be short. Pick a few questions from each topic and create something fun that can increase productivity and awareness.

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5. Start studying a month in advance. Ever heard of the saying: the earlier the better? This is absolutely TRUE when it comes to finals and hard exams. Waiting for the last minute (the week of) should NOT be an option. Taking into account the timing aspect can help significantly REDUCE STRESS, ANXIETY, AND FRUSTRATION when it comes to test taking.

Tip: Break the material up effectively using a timeline chart, this can make studying easier and more effective to cover ALL material without feeling stressed on time. .

Timeline: 1 month- approximately 4 weeks (till exam)

Study: 10 chapters (total) for final

Friday-Saturday: off for activities and other extracurriculars! Students need a break as well :)

Key:

* 5 min breaks for 20 minute study intervals

** Study guide created for chapters

*** Brushing up on all concepts (games, flashcards used)

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Using the tips listed above will tremendously help reduce stress and create strong studying management skills to help you ace your exam! Following these steps are helpful measures to create a good foundation when covering a large amount of material. Happy Studying and Good Luck on your finals!