51 Tips for Surviving Your Finals

Our second semester finals are coming up fast and it’s important that you’re prepared! The first block final is Friday, May 31st. Second block will be Monday, June 3rd. Third block will be Wednesday, June 5th. Finally, fourth block will be Thursday, June 6th. Friday, June 7th will be the makeup day for any final you may have missed and will also be the last day of the 2018-2019 school year.

We here at the Sabre Voice want to share some great study and preparation tips for you and your friends to utilize so that you do your absolute best on your finals. From getting good sleep to eating good food, these tips will be sure to make you feel ready for your finals!

1. Study smarter not harder!
2. Make sure to get at least 8 hours of sleep the night before your exam.
3. Practice taking past versions of your exam.
4. Eat a healthy breakfast the morning of and limit your dairy.
5. Go to tutoring after school.
6. Wear layers to your finals, room temperatures can be funny sometimes.
7. Pick a place and time for your studying.
8. Talk to your teachers and get specific class tips for your final. Ask them questions!
9. Don’t burn yourself out trying to study the day before your exam.
10. Don't study for longer, study shorter and more often taking breaks in between studying to process the information. Repetition is key.
11. Create your own study guide for each unit or topic to understand and organize the information better.
12. Create a study calendar, and stick to it! Begin studying 3 weeks before your exam.
13. Look over old handouts and past tests/quizzes.
14. Look over your notes and homework problems as a nice easy study daily, then take more time to study the harder topics and work when you schedule.
15. Discover your learning style so that your study sessions can be more efficient.
16. Stay motivated.
17. Try teaching others the material. It’s a good way to review the material and help a classmate out.
18. Take practice exams!
19. Set small, obtainable goals.
20. Make a study group with friends.
21. Look over practice exams and find questions that pop up frequently so you have a better idea about what exactly you should study.
22. Study for the style of the exam
23. Prioritize your studying.
24. Quiz yourself.
25. Reorganize your notes.
26. Create flashcards.
27. Reward yourself for studying and meeting goals.
28. Avoid all-nighters! “Fatigued brains do not retain information, nor do they recall it well.” Says Time Magazine.
29. Manage your anxiety! Listen to calming music while studying. Take breaks and breathe. Don’t cram.
30. Stay positive! If you believe you can, you will!
31. Log out of social media.
32. Cardio! At least 20 minutes of cardio can improve your memory!
33. High carb & fiber, slow digesting foods like oatmeal are a great exam day breakfast!
34. Eat healthy study snacks to fuel your body.
35. Change study spots from time to time.
36. Limit Distractions while studying and testing.
37. Create acronyms to help you remember important information. For example, King Henry Died by Drinking Chocolate Milk (kilo, hecto, deca, deci, centi, and milli).
38. Don't change your usual study habits during finals week. Stick to what works best for you.
39. Stay active!
40. Don’t procrastinate!
41. Keep your routine.
42. Study in this order: 1. definitely 2. probably 3. might be on the final
43. Give yourself more time to study for your harder classes.
44. Practice pacing yourself! You want to make sure you get to answer every question.
45. Use online resources to help you study. A great online resource is Khan Academy which has videos, practice problems, and quizzes on a variety of topics.
46. Get creative with your studying.
47. Create a “Finals Folder” for each class. Put all the important notes, study guides, tests, and quizzes in a folder for easy and organized studying on the go.
48. Ease off the drama! It’ll help lower your anxiety and frustrations.
49. Give yourself space from the world to study and help you. Your finals, Your studying, Your time
50. Outline your curriculum and identify your weaknesses.
51. Finally, Remember you got this! You are enough and you will do great! Good luck!