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Students Can Prepare for Finals Without Losing Their Hair

By Denean Boyce
Black College Wire

It's the time of year a lot of students longed for since the first day of school -- the Christmas break. But prior to the Christmas break are the dreaded final exams.

Photo credit: Winston-Salem State Unfortunately, finals are required in order to see how well students listened in class and what they learned during the semester.

Students start to panic and become filled with anxiety. It is rare to find someone who is actually excited about taking finals.

But tests are required in order to see how well students listened in class and what they learned during the semester.

"I find myself having a hard time studying and taking tests," said Nicholas Sampson, a junior at Savannah State University. "When I prepare for finals, I'll try to study everything from past tests."

There are ways that students can prepare for finals without losing their hair. These recommendations, from personal experience and Internet resources, can help students before an exam and while they are taking them:

1. It's important not to cram. Cramming isn't a productive way to study because it's hard to learn so much information in a short time. Study ahead of time, because you can put only so much more in your brain.

   When you cram for exams, the information you learned at the beginning of the semester might be confused or forgotten.

2. Stay organized and focused. One way to do this is to make a schedule breaking down each hour in each day of finals week. Be realistic about how long you can study and set study goals.

3. Eliminate interference when you study. Find a spot away from people and noise. Keep snacks or drinks close by, so you don't have to take unnecessary breaks.

4. Always get enough sleep and eat well, especially during exam time.

5. Get help. Ask a teacher or try comparing notes with a classmate. That way, if you didn't get the information from the lecture, you can get it from each other.

6. Have a note-taking system that works for you. Take notes as if you had to rely on them to pass the course.

7. Start making a pre-test. Collect questions, problems, essay topics, etc. from past exams and homework assignments. Take the test a week or two before the final exam to see where you need to focus your studies. Decide where the test questions come from -- the textbook, the lecture or both.

8. Ask the professor about the final. Get the study guide early, if available. Ask what aids you can bring to the final exam, such as a calculator, dictionary or thesaurus. Be alert during class lectures for clues to test subjects.

9. According to educational psychologists, students can talk to someone about their worries and start thinking positive. But don't be too relaxed, because stress over exams makes students work hard for them.

10. It is important to get psyched up, but not to the point where one becomes overconfident. Be nice to yourself. You should also exercise because it will help you work well and relieve stress.

Also, table your emotions when studying for an exam.

Most important, if it upsets you to talk to your friends about an exam when it is finished, don't do it. In fact, don't even think about the exam you have finished. What is done is done. You can't change what you have written!

Denean Boyce, a student at Savannah State University, writes for The Tiger's Roar.

Posted Dec. 6, 2004