In the interest of complete transparency, I have to tell you that this blog post doesn’t contain any closely guarded secrets to academic success. Truthfully, I’m probably recycling a lot of common advice (and none of the interesting stuff about chewing a different flavor of gum to help you retain information for a test, or what have you). But regardless, the following probably bears repeating:
- Organize and Prioritize. Know when your final assignments are due, where your final exams are, what material is being covered, and what the specifications of each assignment are. Using this information, as well as evaluating your performance in each respective class thus far, you should be able to create a prioritized list to guide you through these two weeks.
- Time Management. Take your existing study plan and put it on a schedule. A schedule that involves starting early, working a little on each subject each day, and taking frequent breaks will allow for the greatest amount of flexibility. Likewise, continue with your relaxation and recreational activities, but consider limiting the amount of times you hit “next” in your Netflix queue.
- Self-Care. That being said, you should absolutely watch an episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, or go out to dinner with your friends, or take a nap, or volunteer with kittens (!) if you need a break from studying. At the very least, it is important to make sure that you are maintaining a healthy diet and a regular sleep schedule so that your brain (not to mention the rest of your body) can continue to optimally function through the end of exams. If a deadline seems insurmountable given your current circumstances, talk to your professor about alternatives.
Above all it is important to remember that you know your study habits best. Take these principles and adapt them to your current system, whether that includes internet restrictive apps like Self-Control and StayFocused (which I swear by), indulging in the latest flavor of Viso (a Portland energy drink company), chewing a different flavor of gum for every subject, or writing your Hum final on the front lawn.
Actual photo of me, actually studying.
Good luck and take care of yourselves!
