With college finals season quickly approaching, students around the world are putting their study habits to the test. Final exams, essays, and projects are used to see how well each student has learned the material throughout the semester, making them important portions of one’s grade. If you are like me, remembering detailed lectures from the very beginning of the semester can be a challenge, making good study habits necessary to re-learn old information. Now in my third year at Syracuse University, I have experienced nearly every type of final project, essay, and exam. Each of these assessments has helped me develop better study habits that have helped me succeed in every scenario that comes my way. In this article, I am going to share with you some of my favorite study habits, tips, and tricks so you can perform your best on your next exam!
1. No distractions
In a world filled with social media, technology, and endless distractions, it is really important to make sure any of these potential distractions are out of sight while studying. Especially when it's an assignment I don’t necessarily want to work on, I find myself constantly reaching for my phone to procrastinate. I find studying with a clean workspace with any distracting items put in a separate room to be the best strategy. If you are expecting a call and can’t put your phone in another room, I suggest you put your ringer on and put it faced down somewhere out of your immediate reach so you won’t be tempted to use it as a distraction!
2. Make your own study-guide
While notes found online and a friend’s study guide can be a great resource, it isn’t always the best idea to rely on them for your primary study guide. Whether you hand-write your study guide or type it, the action of creating your study guide is actually a great way to help retain the information. I will first take any notes, study questions, and other resources provided by my professor and write them into my own document. I will then fill in any extra information that I find from the textbook, old study guides, and other resources. After making the study guide, I already feel I know the material better than I would just reading over a pre-made study guide. While it may be a little more time-consuming, this method is my favorite way to ensure I am truly learning the material!
3. Set timers and take breaks
When people have an important exam coming up, it is usually their first instinct to spend hours studying and cramming for the test. However, studying non-stop has actually been proven to be counterproductive. According to a study in the NY Times, the key to productiveness is working in 90 min. Intervals with short 10-20 min breaks in between. Your ability to retain information after a long period of studying declines, making breaks important when studying for an exam or writing a paper. To maximize your productivity, make sure you are also getting enough rest, eating regularly, and making time for tasks you enjoy.
4. Make a detailed to-do list
It is easy to get overwhelmed with assignments during finals season. To help stay organized, I make daily to-do lists to keep me on track. I use “Microsoft To-Do” to make my lists as I do the majority of my work on my computer and I am constantly referring back to my to-do list throughout the day. Hand-writing your list in a planner is also a great way to keep track of your progress. I first outline my major assignments and their due dates in a weekly planner. I then use my daily lists as a tool to plan out each part of my day and assigning certain tasks to specific times of the day. This helps me stay productive by setting goals throughout the day and rewarding myself when I achieve them! This is also a great way to schedule your breaks and make sure you are taking time for yourself while studying.
5. Have a friend or family member test you on key concepts
Once you have made your schedule and study guide and are feeling confident about the information you have studied, a great way to put this to the test before the real exam is by having another person test your knowledge. Give your study guide to the person quizzing you and ask them to ask you questions from your study guide. If you can confidently answer the questions without referencing your notes you are prepared for your exam. Any topics that you are struggling to answer are the areas you need to re-study before your exam.
Regardless of the type of examination you are given, preparation is key. When writing an essay, outlining your essay and researching your topic well will set you up for success. When working on a presentation, making an informative slideshow and detailed presentation notes will be helpful. When studying for a test, having a good study guide and lots of test preparation will help you ace the exam. Everyone has different study tactics that help them succeed and everyone learns things differently. Before your next exam, I hope you use some of these tips and incorporate them into your study routine!
Vocabulary list:
Lectures (n): Educational talks to a class of students
Assessments (n): tests or exams
Procrastinate (v): delay action or put off doing something
Retain (v): absorb and keep information
Time-Consuming (adj): taking a lot of time to complete
Intervals (n): pauses or breaks in an activity
Regardless (adv): without consideration of
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hailey Womer is a third-year student at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York pursuing a dual major in Public Relations and Political Science. With interests in communications, public diplomacy, and politics & government, she hopes to use communication to grow the passions of the public and advocate for others. In her free time, you can find her editing social media content, engrossed in the fashion trends of the season, catching up on the latest political buzz, or on a philanthropic mission to make the world just a little bit brighter!