By Daniel Landino | Staff Writer
There’s nothing quite like spring time at Salve; daffodils blooming, cool breezes blowing through campus, and, of course, finals. The end of semester push is looming, but the freedom of summer is just over the hill. As finals week approaches, use these tips to keep calm, cool, and collected and be your best self for the rest of the school year.
- Organize Yourself
The first step to success during finals is to organize yourself. Use a planner to organize your academics and a calendar to organize your extra-curricular activities. A great start is to use color codes to keep everything in order. Also, the person who knows the way you study best is yourself. Use what works for you to get a great head start on finals week and jump start your studying by planning out your last few weeks.
- Study Effectively!
Despite what you may think, your professors want you to succeed and do as well as you possibly can. If you haven’t before, start asking more questions in class in regard to exam details, format, and content. Create your own study guide and use it to your advantage. Prioritize your harder courses and study them ahead of your easier classes. Remember to study for the format of the exam. For example, if your exam is multiple choice, familiarize yourself with definitions. For essays, familiarize yourself with concepts of the material presented. Again, you know what works best for you, so use that knowledge to your benefit.
- Manage Your Time Well
Pace yourself! Remember that finals week is marathon, not a sprint. Each course needs its own individualized attention. Information is better learned over a longer period of time, and cramming is an ineffective technique for learning. According to a study conducted by Nate Kornell of the University of California, spacing out the learning of information was more beneficial than cramming for 90% of the students involved. Cramming inhibits the brain’s memory storing capabilities by not allowing ample time for organization, storage, and placement from short term to long term memory. So skip the long sleepless night and start studying a little earlier.
- Use Your Resources
Salve has many offerings for academic help, especially throughout finals week. If you haven’t before, now may be a great time to visit the Center for Academic Excellence (A.C.E.), located on the second floor of McKillop Library. Not only do they have subject tutoring, but they also have one on one sessions to make sure your writing is top-notch for your final papers. You can always schedule an appointment and they will always do their best to ensure you are prepared to take on finals with the utmost confidence. McKillop Library will also be extending their hours and providing goodies to students all night long!
- Don’t Stress Out!
Remember to give yourself time to rest and relax! Make sure you are getting at least 7 hours of sleep a night. Take breaks throughout your studying and navigate through the tourists on the Cliff Walk. Use your area to your advantage and visit any of the Newport Mansions for free with your student I.D. Take the time you need to ensure you’re at your best throughout this tumultuous time. Once an exam is over, forget all about it and move onto the next one! Don’t let the past burden your future. Best of luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor.
