Blogmas #1- How To Deal With Final Exams!

Today (as promised) we have a BLOGMAS post for you. This is first post of the series :) For those of you that didn't catch our (previous blog) Blogmas is just going to be all Christmas/Holiday themed posts throughout the month of December. Today is going to deal with the number one stress for students before Holiday break- FINALS.

Urban Dictionary defines finals as Fuck. I. Never. Actually. Learned. Shit. Having been in school all of my life, I can testify to this. Finals are always the time I dread. Not at first though. A few weeks before finals

most of us get in this SUPER PUMPED mode where we're like "I am going to be so organized and get everything done and ace my finals and live happily ever after!" But then the night before the test we realize we probably should have prepared more and learn to accept the fact that we are about to fail miserably. We have all been there. Jessica and I both have major test anxiety. A lot of people may have it and not realize they do. But if you feel a great level of pressure or stress before any kind of oral exam, quiz, or test chances are you may have it too. I have learned to overcome test anxiety with a few different techniques I have learned over the years so I thought sharing them may be helpful! So let's get started so you can get to studying!

1. Manage Your Time Wisely

Don't wait until the last minute to study and cram for the exam. Now this may not help you since most of your semesters are almost over but for future reference- make sure you are studying for finals all semester long. This will minimize the amount of stresses you have before exams.

Study in increments. Most of us have multiple tests to study for. So instead of studying for one subject for hours on end and then moving onto the next, block your hours. By that I mean schedule the time you will study for each subject to make sure you are not overdoing it on one. Say you are studying from 2pm-5pm. Try this- study for Subject One from 2pm-3pm, Subject Two from 3pm-4pm, and Subject Three from 4pm-5pm. If you switch between the subjects it gives your brain a chance to process and recharge. Plus, focusing on one subject for too long can actually cause us to become frustrated and withdrawn.

Take Breaks. Focusing on something for to long can cause even more stress and frustration. We must remember to take care of ourselves. We do this by taking a break to shower, eat, and get exercise. Working out releases a lot of stress for me. I have actually done some of my best studying on an elliptical machine. I focus on the words I'm reading instead of the miles I have gone. It is like the lesser of two evils kind of thing. Always make sure you are eating healthy foods. Junk foods and energy drinks really just slow us down in the long run. I like to fuel up on things like almonds, berries, and the occasional coffee. You might feel like you are wasting time but as long as you schedule your breaks and spend them wisely they are perfectly acceptable. My boyfriend's professor actually suggested to take pictures of nature in order to relieve some stress from finals. I may try that some time!

2. Study With a Partner!

Choose Wisely. Don't just choose your best friend or some rando from class. Make sure you are studying with someone who as initiative and really wants to do well. I have a friend in my program at school and we study for exams together. We will tackle the material by breaking it up. She will learn a portion on her own and so will I. When we come together we teach each other the part we learned on our own. This has really worked for us. We have both done very well on our medical exams. We laugh and have fun while we study and that makes it so much more tolerable. Studying doesn't have to be a bore.
- Independently study: together. This may not be for everyone but it has worked for me in the past. I used to have weekly "study dates" with a friend where we would go to Starbucks and both study separate subjects. This friend and I did not go to the same school and were not taking the same classes. This worked for us because we felt like we were getting out and doing something yet we were still being productive. Plus who doesn't love coffee?
I just had the Pepperment Mocha for the first time, SO GOOD! Great for your next Starbucks study date! :)

3. Have the Correct Work Environment!
- Choose somewhere quiet. I do this by signing up for the study room in the library. We can do this at our school and not be disturbed. If that option is not readily available for you then any quiet place where you can really focus is fine. Sometimes studying in your dorm or bedroom can be difficult because you have a million things to distract you. You know how it is, you say "I'll just watch T.V. for thirty minutes. Next thing you know, you have finished the entire season 3 of Grey's Anatomy in one night. I get it, these distractions can be tempting. To avoid them all together just take yourself out of that environment. I mean unless you have like extreme self-control which in that case TEACH ME YOUR WAYS.
- Listen to instrumental music. This certainly isn't for everyone but it works for me. I can't listen to most music while I study because I will start to sing and get all sorts of distracted. But I have found that classical music can be very calming and I like to have it on while studying or writing a paper. If classical music isn't for you, you could also try listening to Ratatat. Their music is my favorite to study to. Have a listen here. Spotify and Pandora also have a lot of good music options.
4. Know What Material is Important To Study!
- You are and you notebook are on a need to know basis. My professors make this pretty easy for us. They practically spell out what to study and what to skim. It is also important to pay attention in class because if your instructor repeats something or puts emphasis on it, it will most likely be on the exam.
- Take advantage of provided study material. The resources you are provided are the best to study. If you're given a study guide and told it is optional, do it. Writing down the answers and studying that will help better prepare you.
- Your textbook is your frenemy. Your textbook can either really help you or harm you severely. In High School me and my textbooks had a strong relationship. I could trust them to give me the information I needed and I never questioned our relationship. When I got to College we grew apart. This is because most instructors don't teach out of the textbook. A lot of college students use old editions of books or don't buy the course material to save some money. Professors know this. Therefore, most won't take direct statements from the textbook and slap them on a test. Most of my professors hated the required books for their course and urged us to return them. So just make sure you know where you and your textbook stand.
- Notecards are your best friend. Now this is a friendship you do not have to question. Testing yourself is the fastest way to know if you have learned the material. I ALWAYS make flashcards. I make them for every test and quiz throughout the semester. Then when it comes time for finals, I already have them to study from! Plus writing out all of the notecards by hand does more for you than you might think. Writing down the information gives your brain the chance to process it. It is time to rekindle your relationship with notecards<3

5. Worry Less. Sleep More!

Cramming all night is not worth it. I have been there. I have stayed up all night in order to ensure that I learned all I need to know. But the truth of the matter is, I never really learned anything after midnight. I was always exhausted and hopped up on coffee, never fully focused on the material in front of me. Frankly, I would have benefited more from eight hours of sleep then eight hours of late night studying. Some of the smartest people I know have told me that if you don't know the material you won't learn it no matter how much you study the day before. I don't know if I 100% believe that last minute cramming is a TOTAL waste of time but I do know that sleep is TOTALLY worth it. Getting a good night's rest is important to get the night before the exam or any night for that matter. That is why I will never understand Universities that have the age old tradition of the "midnight scream" during finals week. If I went to a school where that happened, I would be screaming "PIPE THE FUCK DOWN!" out my window.

This time of year there are a lot of stresses like work, school, family, and holiday events
. Make sure you still enjoy this time of year. Go to that ugly sweater party and eat that reindeer cupcake. After all, stressed backwards is desserts! Just make sure you manage your time and don't wait until the last minute to start studying. Don't worry, soon your final stresses will be over. Then you get to go home for break and have your family stress you out! Happy Holidays! ;)

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Friday, December 6, 2013

Blogmas #1- How To Deal With Final Exams!

1. Manage Your Time Wisely

2. Study With a Partner!

3. Have the Correct Work Environment!

4. Know What Material is Important To Study!

5. Worry Less. Sleep More!

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