KATLYNN BALDERSTONE

Don’t freak out.

Exams are the test of your knowledge and experience in a subject. They are a way to show that you can apply what you have learned to the outside world.

They are also a nightmare to the underprepared and stressed. With everything going on in the winter season, study habits can quickly spiral out of control.

To help prepare you for your upcoming final exams here’s a list of tips and tricks for studying and getting the most out of that hefty 30-40 per cent chunk of your grade.

1. Don’t leave reviewing until the last minute. 

You may think that last-minute panic is the best way to get motivated, but it doesn’t serve you well in the long run. Working ahead of time to get notes copied and assignments completed — even small sections at a time — can help keep you relaxed when the crunch hits. Your future self will thank you!

2. Seriously, don’t leave it until the last minute. 

This goes double if your final is a large-scale project, like a research paper or art presentation. What can go wrong, will. It’s easier to handle hiccups if things go wrong a week ahead of time as opposed to the morning of the due date. Save both you and your professor a headache and make sure your notes are all in place beforehand.

3. Find a method that works for you and stay with it. 

Do you use flash cards? Read your study guide out loud? Copy down your notes from the beginning of the term? Make a rap or use mnemonic devices? Everyone learns in different ways, so it makes sense that they study in different ways as well. Chances are by now you have a good sense of how you take in information, so stick to what works best for you!

4. Use a timer for study sessions. 

It is easier to focus on goals if you have clear deadlines for them. Break down your tasks into shifts and take short breaks in between to refresh your mind. I like following 20 minutes of work with 10 minutes of rest, but if you’d rather do it in 45 minutes of work and 15 minute breaks, or any other combination, that’s fine. Find your ideal combination and use your breaks to take a quick walk, get a drink of water or check Facebook, but remember to get back to work.

5. Music soothes the savage student. 

Having the right tunes (or whatever background noise you prefer) can help keep you awake, relaxed and focused. If you’ve got roommates or live with your parents, headphones can keep them from getting annoyed with you (and vice versa) or costing precious time as they storm your room to yell at you to turn things down.

6. But remember to soothe, not distract. 

Make sure your playlist is filled with instrumental tracks, since vocals can distract you or find their way into your document if you’re not careful. Likewise, on your break, go with the movie or TV episode you’ve already seen a thousand times instead of something new, so your attention won’t be as divided when you begin working again.

7. Pulling an all-nighter? Avoid caffeine and energy drinks. 

Counter-intuitive, I know, but all that energy keeping you up through the night will come back to bite you the next day, which is not good if that’s the day of your exam. Instead, take quick 20-minute naps every few hours (or a longer rest in the afternoon), do some exercises to keep the blood flowing and drink plenty of water. If you have a small bladder, the water could even help with the exercise.

8. Avoid all-nighters. 

I know what I just said, but if you can’t handle staying up late try going to bed at a reasonable time and wake up early instead. This has the added benefit of leaving you refreshed and ready for the day, and you can go over notes while your coffee or tea brews.

9. Remember to rest. 

No matter how much you’ve studied, if you go into the exam nervous and exhausted, chances are it will go poorly. Give yourself time to relax and process the information you’ve just crammed into your brain and you will be able to retain more and understand the material better. This isn’t an excuse for partying, though. Make sure your thoughts on Plato aren’t being replaced by thoughts of keg stands.

10. It’ll be okay. 

Exams are hard! No one would deny that. But they’re only as scary as you let them be. If you keep calm, study and prepare to do your best, things will work out in your favor and you’ll get through with a passing grade. Once you’re done, feel free to celebrate. Reward yourself by buying some new clothes, or go out for dinner and a drink. After all, you deserve it.

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Photo: indrarado/Flickr