Study Smarter, Not Harder

By Devin Lauby

Tips and tricks into acing your final.

I know none of us want to think about it, but midterm finals are coming up, and fast. When it comes to doing your best on all of your tests, it pays off to do some planning ahead. Try out these tips and tricks, and finals are sure to be a breeze…

1. Go to bed early, then get up early and study before school.

This is one of my tried and true finals week techniques. I find that when I try to get all of my work done at night, I only end up staying up super late--working less effectively because I’m tired. By setting a rigid bedtime for myself, I can ensure that I’m getting enough sleep, but I can rest easy knowing I will continue studying in the morning. Sleep is important--we perform better on tests, study better, and cope with stress more effectively when we’re well-rested. Plus, in the morning, after some food and coffee, I’m more refreshed and ready to study efficiently.

2. Teach others about the concepts.

One of the most robust ways to build confidence in a topic is by teaching it to another. Find someone in your study group, or even a friend or family member, and help them learn the topic. This will expose any gaps in your knowledge, and their questions will help inform further study.

3. Switch up your study space.

Working in the same space repeatedly can result in a lack of new brain stimuli. When my brain gets pent-up and bored, I procrastinate more and negative feelings tend to stick around longer. Try finding a new work space every now and then - the library is great, so are coffee shops. At the very least, move to a new room in your house every now and then.

4. Make a plan.

If you just dive into studying blindly, you may find that you aren’t studying the right topics or are wasting time being inefficient. Before you start, take some time to ask the tough questions - what do I need to know? What is the best way to review these topics? Write down a mental map of what you will study and for how long. Just 5 minutes of intentionality may help a lot.

5. Find your perfect study playlist.

Sociologists debate the effectiveness of listening to music while working, but many use music to focus, regardless. The key is to find what music works for you. I like studying to anything that makes me feel particularly “sunny” - recently that has been Blues Du Jour by Maher Shalal Hash Baz, which you can find on Youtube. Other suggestions are Native American flute music, nature sound mixes, classical guitar, and ambient electronica like Brian Eno. Listening to the same or similar music every time you study can be helpful, as it will stimulate your memory. Whenever and album or playlist ends, take a study break.

6. Attend all the review sessions you can.

Review sessions with teachers and other students are vital for gathering information on what will actually be on the test, as teachers will often hint at or discuss the most crucial topics. Come ready with questions to ask, and listen carefully to other questions that they answer. If your class doesn’t have a review session, ask your teacher to host one.

Teachers Offer Advice For Finals...

“Slow and steady wins the race; don’t wait ‘til the last minute to study. Spread it out over time.” - Angie Bazan

“Spend your whole [winter] break studying for them, otherwise you’ll probably fail.” - Dan Walsh

“After every class leading up to finals, check in with your teacher to make sure you understand it.” - Matt Levin

“Try to do every problem twice, and if you do it the exact same, you probably get it.” - Kirsten Stienke