(Until April, that is. Groan.)
This time around, I'm going to share some study tips for you lovely people. At least, the ones that have worked for me in the past. Study methods vary from person to person so take these with a grain of salt.
- Never study with more than three people. Three is the cap for most study groups. If it gets over that amount, the group members tend to get really chatty and distract each other from doing actual studying. (Again, this is my own experience, so if a big group usually works for you, more power to ya.)
- Also on the subject of groups: Pick your study buddies wisely. Don't say yes to a friend you know is going to distract you if you have legitimate work to get done. Save that for when they are the ones that have to study.
- Take breaks. Don't study in five-hour long blocks. Study for an hour, take a ten minute break and play a relaxing game of Solitaire or something. Then, straight back to work.
- Bring both healthy and not-so-healthy snacks. The healthy ones are for when you're actually hungry and need an energy boost. The not-so-healthy ones are for rewarding yourself for getting stuff done. For example, I knew a girl who did her reading for class by putting a Skittle after every paragraph.
- On the subject of food: Don't forget to eat. I know that finals week is a stressful time. Some people don't eat when they're stressed. But even if you're not hungry - if you haven't eaten in six hours, have an apple. Or a cookie. Keep that blood sugar up so you don't pass out or die. Dying while studying would be the worst way to go, really. Don't subject yourself to that boring obituary.
- Listen to classical music. Maybe even some Dubstep. Lyrics are a distraction more times than not. Especially when writing that final paper you've been putting off since Midterms. Yeah, that's right. I'm looking at you, bub.
- Wear comfy clothes. Seriously. The comfier you are, the more relaxed you are, and the less distracted you'll be from constantly pulling down that shirt that just a little too small on you but you like it because you spent your entire paycheck on it and a pair of boots. No one is going to care if you show up to the library in Ninja Turtle pajama pants and an old sweater you still have from high school. Because chances are, they're either wearing the same thing, or envious of you having the guts to wear it in public while they're constantly adjusting their miniskirt.
- Pick a crowded place to set up camp. The slew of people surrounding you that are doing work will act as a motivator to get off Tumblr, pull up Google Scholar, and get cracking on the research for that same paper you've been putting off since Midterms. Or a whole other paper you've been putting off. You know, because you're really good at organizing your time. Still looking at you, bub.
- Write a to-do list for what you want to accomplish that day/afternoon/evening/whatever. Don't try to get all of your studying for all of your classes done at one time. Space it out. Do it little by little. Or conquer whatever is due first/whatever exam is scheduled first. That's what I do. Then, if I get tired or bored with it, I switch over to a larger project that due later in the week, and come back to whatever is due first.
There. That ought to get you through your exams! Well, at least I hope so. Like I said before, study methods vary from person to person. So if one of these doesn't work for you, try out another one. If none of them work, Google other methods. The point is to just study. You'll be cheating yourself if you don't and chances are that you'll regret it when you get your final grades back and that paper you were supposed to be writing turns out to be worth half of your final score and your entire grade gets lowered because you couldn't stop playing Candy Crush. Get it together, bub. God.
Disclaimer: I am bub. He is me. I am ashamed.
