The holiday season is practically upon us, and with this comes the realization that finals are also right around the corner.
Like the winter season itself, while finals week may cause more dread than cheer, surviving it is possible—and, if done correctly, perhaps even pleasant. Because let’s face it: We’re all anxiously awaiting the day we can say, “I’m finished!”
There are a lot of tools and tricks out there to help make your studying successful, and the key is to find techniques that work best for you.
Online tools such as quizlet.com offer digital flashcards and memory games that can be useful for memorizing key terms, theories, and concepts. Oftentimes, you can even find a quiz that has already been made for a similar class or topic by searching for it in Quizlet.
Additionally, sites such as khanacademy.org offer free videos that can help illustrate and explain a topic more clearly.
Still can’t find what you’re looking for? Try a YouTube search. While you definitely want to make sure that the channel’s videos you watch are reputable, there are a variety of free educational channels on YouTube dedicated to making informative videos on a number of academic topics.
If you find technology distracting, however, you can always try good, old-fashioned paper notecards.
One key piece of advice: No matter which study method you choose, don’t procrastinate!
Senior education major Anna Manos said that her finals usually consist of a combination of papers, lesson plans, and tests.
“For my finals, I have a little bit of everything,” Manos said. “You definitely don’t want to procrastinate, ‘cause that’s what I struggle with.”
Addie Becker, a senior English literature major, shared a similar sentiment.
“I would say the best thing you can do right now is set aside an hour or two a day for a project or paper or exam,” Becker said. “You’d be surprised how little work you have left if you put just a little bit of time in every day.”
Additionally, while you likely have heard of Academic Success, you may not know just how much they have to offer.
Their services include a variety of options such as peer tutoring, academic coaching, supplemental instruction (SI), and the writing center.
Senior biology major and peer tutor Emily Simonton said that Academic Success offers resources that cater to different learning styles.
“Peer tutoring is usually more general, and can cover basic questions a student may have, while supplemental instruction delves deeper into the specifics of what a class is going over,” Simonton said. “Peer tutoring is more one-on-one, where SI is in more of a group setting.”
To schedule an appointment with a peer tutor, you can visit tutortrac.capital.edu.
To learn more about all that Academic Success has to offer, visit www.capital.edu/academic-success.
