Study tips for finals

Studying for finals doesn’t have to be as scary as your fellow students and the media sometimes make it out to be. 

Anna Menendez, a tutor in Charleston Southern University’s Learning Center and a senior majoring in English and communication studies, offers some tips for making it through finals:

• Compile One Study Guide: Review your notes, highlight the most important concepts and facts, and compile it into one comprehensive study guide.
• Review and Write: Going back through class notes (or PowerPoints, lectures, etc.) will refresh your mind, and writing it down into a study guide helps with remembering important concepts because of the repetition.
• Refresh: Read, review, write, review is my best study advice.” 

Shaniese Alston wrote an article on study tips when she was a student at the State University of New York. Some of her tips are:

• Say No to Cramming: Study in intervals! Studying in 20-50 minute increments and giving yourself 5-10 minutes in between is more beneficial than cramming. Distributing learning over time typically benefits long-term retention more than a short period.
• Alternate Study Spots: Shake up your finals routine! Spending all night in the library can be draining. According to the New York Times, simply alternating the room where a person studies improves retention.

Eating healthy snacks and getting plenty of sleep can’t hurt either. Finish well, Buccaneers!