Tips for finishing strong
(Photo: Callie Lipkin)
There isn’t a student at UIC who hasn’t complained about finals — at least once. It’s the time of year when students try to remember a semester worth of knowledge but are ready for summer.
Here are my end-of-the-semester tips
Don’t cram
A lot of students make the mistake of memorizing everything last minute. Some students claim that they work well under pressure, but when you’re studying for a 100-question exam the night before, I don’t see anything calming about that. Instead, study in small sections. Take a chunk of lecture, study it, then move on to the next. Separate chapters so that you don’t have to sit there for a long amount of time looking at one class. Divide up your studying reasonably.
Don’t leave your assignments last minute
You know that last week of classes where everyone is just sick of school? Use that week to get a head start on your studying! Allowing yourself even an hour to really focus on content is much more effective than leaving assignments last minute, then rushing to get them done.
A clean space is a happy space
When your room is a mess, your brain is a mess. If you like to study in your room, make sure you create a space that eases you, and is free of clutter. Take 10 minutes to clean up your room. Trust me, it seems like a simple task, but you would be surprised by how effective it is.
Find the perfect study space
Whether you like to study in the library, with loud music in your earbuds or the sanctuary of your bed, pick a study space that again makes you happy! My ideal space to study is a coffee shop because I get my caffeine fix and the vibes help me focus.
Sleep is key
Please do not stay up until 3 a.m. studying and cramming for exams. That is like the worst thing you can do to yourself and your body. When you deprive yourself of sleep, you deprive yourself of energy — and you need that energy to finish strong.!
Finals week is stressful, but take a few minutes for yourself to recharge and focus. Finish strong, Flames! We got this!
Brigita Kancleris is a sophomore majoring in English. When she isn’t busy being part of SAB and CHAARG on campus, she will usually be writing down ideas for her next piece. She wants to be a travel editor so she can share her experiences and turn them into works for everyone to read. She enjoys skiing, traveling and all things winter. Did we mention how much she loves tea (like obsessed)? Watch out UIC, this Lithuanian will stop at nothing to reach her dreams!
