It’s Sunday March 10th. We’ve managed to survive 10th week, and spring break is right around the corner. The end is so close you can practically touch it! But unfortunately, we have one last thing to do before break: finals. As many Lawrence students know, finals can be an extremely stressful time. Whether you’re studying for a final, writing two research papers, or performing in your music qualifying exam, there is a lot to worry about in the next few days before you go back home. So with this in mind, here are a few tips about how to make finals a little easier.
Study Tips:
Discover the best way that you study! There are three different types of learners: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Here is a link to a quiz where you can find out what type of learner you are!
https://www.how-to-study.com/learning-style-assessment/
Here are several tips for the different types of learners.
1. Visual Learners:
-Try color coding your notes
-Making lists/outlines
-Graphic organizers of information
-Find graphs, charts, or diagrams that explain the information you’re learning about
-Study in places without visual distractions (i.e. 3/4th floors of the Library, Somerset/Pusey Room, Atrium, etc.)
2. Auditory Learners:
-Make rhymes or mnemomics of information you need to know
-Record lectures and listen to them while you study
-Find videos on Khan Academy or YouTube for topics you are confused about
-Study with others and talk about the material
-Word association
-Study in quiet places (i.e. 3/4th floor of the Library, Somerset/Pusey Room, Listening rooms in the Library, etc.)
3. Kinesthetic Learners:
-Study while standing up
-Study while exercising in the Wellness Center
-Act out different mechanisms
-Use real life examples to study
-Listen to music (Try it out! It may not work for you)
-Study in places where you can move around and not disturb others (i.e. 1st/2nd floor of the Library, Wellness center, 2nd floor of Warch, Café (?), etc.)
It is also super helpful to meet with a tutor if you are still confused about something. They’re here to help! You can get in touch with tutors or any extra help you may need through the CAS (Center for Academic Success). They have daily walk-in hours from 1-3 pm daily from 8th week through finals.
However, studying isn’t the only thing that we need to worry about during finals! Keeping our mental health up and staying positive during finals is also important!
Here are several tips for reducing stress and staying positive during finals:
1. Take Breaks! Although studying hard is a given, you also need to make sure you take breaks! Taking a break can actually help increase focus, reduce stress, and help retain more information. Go see a concert at the conservatory or play bubble soccer in the Wellness Center!
2. Exercise! Short exercise breaks can go a long way to help reducing stress! It helps you focus, gives you additional energy, and releases endorphins to help you feel better! Even just 15-30 minutes of exercise in the Wellness Center goes a long way to helping reduce stress! If you don’t like to exercise, then try yoga! There are several classes offered on campus during the week as well, and plenty of walking paths along the Fox River. Lawrence students can also receive a free membership to the YMCA next to Colman Hall. There are plenty of opportunities to stretch your legs!
3. Eat healthy! You can often find yourself eating a lot of junk food out of stress during finals. Don’t! Junk food can give you an instant energy high, but in the long term will affect your concentration and memory and will end with a sugar crash. Eating more nutritious food will energize you and increase your concentration and retention. Andrew Commons is open throughout finals week, and always offers healthy options.
4. Get some sleep! While everybody has different sleeping habits, it’s never healthy to pull an all-nighter! Even having small naps during the day to help get your energy back up helps! In the end, sleep will help improve the quality and retention of studying, even if you end up with less study time.
Finals is a stressful time! Please make sure that you are taking care of yourselves during this period! You’ve got this!
