How I Mastered the "Finals Fluster"

For most students, this week is every college student’s favorite time of year… Final Exam Season. 

After four years of undergrad and one year of grad school, I am proud to say that I have mastered the “Finals Fluster.” 

“How?!” You ask. 

Below are my “Top Five Final Exam Tips.”

1. Pump oxygen to your brain. 

Take your books and hit the gym! In order to keep your body healthy and rejuvenated during final exams, ride the bike while you study flash cards or read articles and books. Exercising will make more oxygen flow to your brain and help you retain more information. 

2. Highlight with crayons. 

There is an extremely scientific debate regarding which color highlighter helps you remember the most information. My solution? Use the whole rainbow! One box of crayons not only costs much less than one highlighter, but you can use the different colors to code different types of information. 

3. Schedule your snacks.

Before you hit the books, make a snack schedule to keep you energized and looking forward to taking breaks. You can also alternate food and drinks to make your breaks more frequent. Below is a sample “snack schedule.” 

5:00 PM - Apple with Peanut Butter

6:00 PM - Cup of Tea

7:00 PM - Chicken Pita 

8:00 PM - Cup of Coffee (if you are planning on staying up to at least 1:00 AM)

9:00 PM - Carrots and Ranch Dressing

10:00 PM - Cup of Coffee (if you are planning on staying up to at least 3:00 AM)

11:00 PM - Cucumbers with Hummus

12:00 PM - Cup of Hot Chocolate

1:00 AM - Chocolate Covered Almonds 

2:00 AM - Cup of Tea

3:00 AM - GO TO BED (you will probably not learn anything after 3:00 AM)

4. Study with your buddies. 

Even if you do not study in the same place all night, having someone to connect with in the early hours of the morning will help you stay motivated. You can even post on Facebook, “Who is staying up past 2:00 AM tonight to study?” Remind yourself… You are all in this together. 

5. Get up and take a shower.

No matter how hard it may be to wake up at a decent hour the day of your test, try to make a point to wake up a half hour before you normally do and take a shower. You will feel proud of yourself for getting up and refreshed from your shower. Eat a power breakfast and hit the classroom! 

My thoughts are with you over the next week! Whenever you feel like giving up, just remind yourself that you are earning, hour by hour, a college degree. 

Go rock it!

Cheers,

Lauren