YouAlberta
Welp, Fall 2024 went by in the blink of an eye, and it is officially my favourite time of the semester (not really). As final exams are approaching, here are my top tips on how to manage exam stress. I have gathered these tips over four years of trying every single thing possible during exam season.
- Know your exam dates: This one seems obvious at first, but writing down the exam dates will help you get the motivation to actually study. This also allows you to determine which class needs more time, as not all exams are made equal (i.e., you have to dedicate more time to a math exam worth 60% of your grade compared to another exam worth only 30%).
- Start early: While the end of the semester normally has a million deadlines, starting to prepare for finals a couple of weeks in advance is a good idea. While prioritizing other deadlines, setting aside some time to study will make life much easier three days before the exam (I have yet to learn this lesson).
- Practice active recall methods: Rather than blindly reading your textbook, practice techniques like:
- attempting to summarize the concepts you studied the previous day in 100 words
- starting your study session with practice problems
- helping teach a friend a topic they are struggling with
- Another helpful tip is incentivizing studying. This can be done by doing something you enjoy after a session (only do not incentivize by watching three episodes for every 30 minutes of work).
- Clear the room of distractions: Before studying, remove all sorts of distractions around you. This involves setting your phone to do not disturb and avoiding studying in a crowded place. Instead, choose to study either in your own room or in a library. A personal tip is to have some music playing (either Lo-Fi or classical), as this has been proven to help you concentrate better.
- Take regular breaks: While it is tempting to study for hours on end without any breaks, taking a 45-minute break every 1.5 hours is key to maintaining long-term focus and not burning out. Use your breaks as an opportunity to fill up your water bottle, go for a short walk or have a chat with your friends and family. During breaks, I enjoy either going for a walk or staring outside my window armed with my fourth cup of coffee for the day.
- Use campus resources: If you ever feel stuck while preparing for your exams, don't forget to reach out to campus resources like the Academic Success Centre for help with things like making a proper study schedule, guidance on how to study and help connect you with other resources on campus.
- Your professor or TA’s office hours are another way to help clarify any doubts related specifically to a class. Many professors tend to organize review sessions during the last week of classes, which is a great way to clear any doubts.
- Enjoy the festive spirit: While it’s easy to forget during finals, it’s also nearly time for the winter holidays — one of the most fun times of the year to spend with family and friends. Make sure to take some time out to enjoy the festive season and do activities like holiday shopping, Christmas decor or other festive activities. This will help you stay motivated during the exam season. Reminding yourself of all the gingerbread houses out there ensures you'll remember that there's more to life than math.
- Look after your health: Oftentimes, the first thing we neglect during exams is our health, and we tend to have a really poor diet and sleep schedule (I survive exam season with Timmies and chips). No matter how busy you get, try to have a relatively balanced diet of fruits and vegetables and get at least 6-7 hours of sleep every night. Also, try to have a minimum of 30 minutes of light to moderate physical activity a day. Looking after your sleep and diet will also help to stay focused and ensure you do not fall sick during exams.
- Stay motivated: This is often easier said than done. After you're done with an exam, take some time to analyze how you did and use it for the next exam. Don’t compare your performance with others, as everyone learns at their own pace and excels in certain areas. Don’t forget to reward yourself for finishing your study goals. Always believe in your ability to succeed!
As U of A students, finals season doesn’t have to be a source of stress if we prepare well. Start early, focus on active learning and look after your diet and health. Lastly, do not forget to take some time off to enjoy the festive season all around us!