Final Exams

Final exams can be a stressful time for college students, especially freshman. Since finals are such a big part of your grade students can find themselves getting nervous and not knowing how to study. The article Surviving Finals explains ten ways to get through finals with low stress and high rewards.

Take time to relax- This is very important because it can be difficult to study if your worried about other things. The article suggests exercising, long walks, and bike rides as good ways to relax.

Have a positive approach- If you become too nervous this can affect how you study. If you have the mind set that you’re going to do well you most likely will.

Stay away from people who have high anxiety- If you are around people who are stressed you are more likely to become stressed yourself, the article states “anxiety is contagious”.

Start studying early- This can sometimes be difficult but it’s very important. It will be more beneficial to you to schedule study times to stay away from cramming the night before.

Schedule large blocks of time for studying- This way you won’t have to rush and you’ll be able to get to sleep at a decent hour. Make sure these study blocks are at least to hour to maximize your study benefits.

Allow short periods to review- If you are constantly running the information through your head you will have a better chance of remembering it.

Schedule breaks- The article states “Respect your concentration span. Especially if you haven't studied much all semester, it may be difficult to study for several hours at a time.”


Stay with your routine- It’s important that you keep on task in order to complete all of your needed study time. “Go to bed at your regular time and get up a couple of hours earlier than you normally would, to continue studying. You will be able to understand and remember more when you are rested than you would if you postpone rest.”

Don’t cram the night before- It’s important to go over the material the night before, but don’t try to cramp all of it in one night. Chances are you will become more stressed and won’t do as well.

Moderate Stimulants- Caffeine can be a safe way to stay awake but too much can cause you to be jittery and unable to concentrate.