Exam Prep-Week Tips

Well students, you've made it!  You are only 2 weeks away from winter break.  Before celebrating though, you will need to get through prep-week and exams.  We've complied a list of five tips that will make these next two weeks a little less stressful!

The best way to evaluate what you need to do and how to do it is to see when you actually have your exams.  Create a schedule and fill in the blanks.  Draw a calendar by hand, make a list on your white-board, use the Stickies App on your computer: whatever!  Seeing your schedule will help you figure out what you need to study and complete before the big day.  (Need to figure out when your exams are?  Access and print the Stritch exams schedule here.)

With the last two weeks winding down and the lack of time to start new content, your first reaction is going to be wanting to sleep in and skip class.  Don't do it!  These last couple of class periods are probably some of the most crucial ones you attend.  Here you will get the exam reviews, tips from your professors, and helpful study-sessions.  If you skip, you might miss out on what will be on the exam, or even worse: an extra project that might be due on exam day!

It's easy to say that you will spend two hours working on x, y, and z, but now is the time to be realistic about things.  How long does it really take you to write a four-page paper?  (Citing sources, distractions, and printing errors included.)  Can you honestly finish that painting during an all-nighter?  Now is not the time to estimate; you need to give yourself an ample amount of time to finish projects and papers.  Remember: it's always better to over estimate rather than underestimate!  

Sometimes, working in your own space (dorm room, apartment, or parent's kitchen) can be detrimental to your studying habits.  With so many great places on campus such as our studios, labs, and library finding a study space won't be hard.  You will want to find somewhere you can avoid as many distractions as possible.  WiFi is accessible on all parts of campus and hours of the labs and libraries extend closer to exam week.  Take advantage of what our campus has to offer!  The more productive you are, the more confident you will feel going into an exam.

Although this one is pretty obvious, many students forget about some of the most crucial tips to being successful.  Make sure you are eating healthy foods and are getting enough sleep.  Brain-power foods will increase your productivity; such foods include avocados, curry, berries, whole grains, and water.  Balancing your diet will make you feel better and work harder.  Most importantly, don't skimp on the sleep.  It's better to go to bed and wake up early than waste time and pull and all-nighter.  A brain that rests will function better than a sleepy brain!  

Remember, you have all of winter break to go out to the bars and hang out with friends; focusing in on your exams/final projects will lower your stress-level and keep you cool, calm, and collected.  The less stress you put on yourself, the better!  

So what about you students?  

What are some other tips you use for prepping for exam week?