The holidays are a busy season for everyone it is a time when we are busy shopping, making travel plans, attending holiday parties, and much more. It also happens to be the time when many college students have their fall term finals. Final exams are stressful enough without the added stress the holidays can bring.
However, there are a few things you can do to make your final exam/holiday season less stressful:
- Plan ahead: Final exam dates are found in your course syllabus or on the school’s official final exam schedule usually found on the school’s website. A few weeks before finals weeks make a list of all your finals to include days and time the final will take place. Put all your exam dates on a calendar so you can don’t schedule other events during the same time. Also determine which classes will require more time to study to help you prioritize which exams you will need to more time to prepare.
- Create a study schedule: Once you have your list of finals complete create a realistic study schedule and write it down on your calendar. Be sure you include time for review sessions or study groups if those are available to you.
- Organize your materials: As you are headed into finals you should organize your study materials. This includes your lecture notes, books, flashcards etc. that you will need to study for your finals.
- Reward yourself and take breaks: Finals during the holiday season means there is a lot on our mind. Make sure during your exam study sessions you are rewarding yourself with breaks to do something you enjoy (or to sneak in a shopping trip)
- Mark your calendar: Make sure your calendar also has all your holiday parties, travel plan etc. During the busy time it is hard to remember all our commitments by keeping everything in one calendar you can plan ahead.