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get out of the house. and use headphones. but listen to music you dont know or music with no words. turn it up loud and go...
As many of the college posters on the forum know, it's that time of year again: FINALS~!
I have 5 next week and I can't seem to concentrate on my reading/studying for more than an hours time, without the urge to take a break, eat something, check my email, watch tv, etc.
So, what study tips do you guys have? How do you all (or for those of you out of college, how did you all) cram for exams?
get out of the house. and use headphones. but listen to music you dont know or music with no words. turn it up loud and go...
I can't study with music or TV or sound in the background! I need quiet. Which is why I'm holed up in my apartment right now!
I didn't really study much. I smoked a lot of pot during college and just barely graduated with a 2.3 gpa.
Gets lots of sleep and exercise.
ok then get out of the house and use earplugs. i cant study at home. like you said i am always tempted to check email or watch tv. if i get out then im gonna at least get in three or four good hrs of study time.
1Parker!, I'm not in college yet, but I know the feeling. Last year, I had 6 Advanced placement (AP) classes, which are college courses, so taking the exams at the end of each semester was a big pain in the ass. I'm the epitome of what not to do. I cram the day before the exams. Further, I often get distracted with the internet and end up wasting a lot of time (mainly the Spurs, hehe).
My suggestions, even though I don't follow them, haha.
-Play classical music with a good beat before you study. This will help you concentrate. Futher, there are no lyrics, so you won't unconsciously think about it.
-If you work near a computer or tv, turn them off.
-Be happy and think about the good things that will happen after the exam...either you boyfriend, watching the Spurs on Christmas, etc.
- Study early in the day. If it's late in the day and you're tired, you're less likely to process and remember what you're going over. And if you get a lot done earlier in the day, you can reward yourself later by doing something fun at the end of day.
- Take breaks. Plan to study for a predetermined amount of time, say, an hour, then take ten or fifteen minutes to go pee, eat some popcorn, check out Spurstalk, etc. It's hard to focus for hours at a time, but if you break up what you're doing, focus won't be as much of an issue.
- Have a plan. You'll get more done if you go into your studying with a plan. Are you going to focus on your notes? Will you read the text? Are you going to review tests and papers? Figure out what will best get you what you need, and focus on that. Make a plan and set some goals before you begin. You'll be able to measure progress that way and it will feel like your accomplishing something. Set milestones.
- If you remember things better by writing them down, make some rough, general outlines. Start with two or three big concepts and keep breaking things down until you know exactly what you're going to have to cover. It doesn't need to be overly complex, and it shouldn't take you more than a few minutes.
- Study in a familiar, comfortable place. If you haven't studied in the library all semester, don't start doing so now.
- Change it up frequently. Don't study for one particular final for a really long time. Study for one for a while, then take on another one.
- Don't get caught up in things that you don't need to spend a lot of time on. When I used to study, I'd sometimes come across something interesting and I would spend time reading something I didn't need to spend a lot of time on. I could easily waste a half hour or more that way.
- When reading texts or do ents, read strategically so you can get all of the concepts without reading every single word. Review text to get main points and key information instead of reading everything.
Best of luck.
wow, really good tips!!
Get off the internet and turn off your cell phone.
I hope you do really good on all your exams! I have my last one on Monday (which happens to be the hardest).
This is a really good point... I can't count all the times I've stayed up really late studying because I didn't do it earlier in the day, and I cannot stop myself from falling asleep every 10 minutes... Then I have to go back and re-read because I can't concentrate.
^This really helps a lot.
This has always helped me remember things better.
I'll give you another tip I learned from my psychology class... You should study in an environment which emulates the environment you will be in while talking the test. So in other words, it might be better if you sit in a library to study (preferably without coffee, since you're obviously not gonna have coffee at the exam), because it emulates you sitting in the classroom taking the exam, and it will help you retrieve the information you studied at the library (or any other place like it) a lot better. (It's about being in the same psychological state in both environments)
But like Brodels said, if you have never studied in a library, don't start doing it now. Just do it somewhere you feel comfortable in.
^ That's right Cherry!
I learnt that in psychology, too!
I have 2 finals left to go next weekkk.. I just can't wait to finish.. Good luck 1Parker1!
^ I hope you do well too!
Disagree. You need to get out of the house and comfortable surroundings where you're likely to take a "break" that turns into blowing off a day of studying.If you haven't studied in the library all semester, don't start doing so now.
Also, it's been scientifically proven that your brain needs a break every hour. Study for a 50 minute block, then take a 10 min. break.
So you really think that experimenting with your study habits right before finals is a good idea? I don't think that's the way to go. If you start studying in a place that you haven't studied before, you're opening the door to distraction. Study in familiar places. Do what has worked in the past. Unless what you've been doing hasn't worked, finals is no time to make major changes to your study habits.
Wow thanks for all the tips, especially Brodels!
In fact, I'm following one of your tips right now and am "taking a break" to check up on Spurstalk, the Spurs game, etc..!
The thing is though, I'm studying for my HUGE Tax Accounting final and for business classes, it's not so much reading/taking notes or making a outline as it is practicing examples and applying concepts to real terms. God knows why I'm a business major!
One thing I have done in my school career which I have found actually helps, is going to sleep around 10 pm and waking up around 3 or 4 am the day of the test to study. Seriously, it works. Here me out. It's like the last possible second you can study, so you have no choice but to get up and study. Also, you're so dead tired at 3am, that you actually concentrate so much better because you're mind doesn't wander. Hopefully I will cram more tommorow, and then wake up at 4 am Monday morning to study and then take my exam from 8-10
BTW, another question: I HATE coffee/cappachinos and all that crap. So, I usually drink soda to keep me up or whatever. But someone told me to try Red Bull and they say it really helps keep you awake when studying. Anyone know about this or have tried Red Bull?
Oh, and any excellent Cheating advice would help also
I'm kidding, I'm kidding!
I have been doing my review for Government. 50 questions, I have about 5 left to answer then I will study it all but I mostly just read over it outloud to myself I can memorize it pretty easy.
pray!!!!.....................a Lot!!!!!!!!!!!!!......it Works!!!!
That's funny...I'm the complete opposite. I have to have the radio playing in the background or else I will get bored.I can't study with music or TV or sound in the background! I need quiet. Which is why I'm holed up in my apartment right now!
^Yeah, I can't stand the silence when I'm studying.
Check the American Government thread please
2 finals down 3 to go next week two on tuesday, Management and Managerial Finance...and one on Wednesday for Business Law II...
Grades have been great up until now, i've studied my ass off all semester long, usually my grades have a negative slope from the begining to the end of the semester, i slowly get worse and worse. I made it a point this semester to be pretty consistant... 2 A's and 3 B's...lets see if i can maintain that going into finals...
But the problem im having is i have no ounce of studying left in me...i've been trying to sit here and motivate myself all day lol...eeek!
Ohhhh a fellow business major. How do you study for your Finance exams?
lol...good god i do problems over and over and read concepts, i tweak numbers to see the change. I take very detailed notes in class, so i write down all of the examples he gives in class and turn them into word problems and try to solve them, i refer to my lecture notes, the book is complete trash to me, it confuses me rather than helps me.
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