By Kyle English

Hilbert Students, final exams are just around the corner.  Friday, May 6 kicks off day one of the Spring Semester’s final exam week.

Many students begin to panic and freak out when it comes to studying for their exams.  In reality, they are no different than any other test you take in your academic career.  And worrying about them may make everything worse.

There are several ways to help you prepare and score well on all of your final exams so you can enjoy the summer, and not re-take any classes.

Here is the Huffington Post’s Top 12 Tips for Acing Your Finals:

• Study in Chunks. “Chunking” is the process of studying in smaller sessions for 20-50 minutes at a time, taking 5-10 minute breaks in between each session. DO NOT CRAM.
• Listen to Mozart. Mozart’s music and other classical compositions that follow a 60 bpm pattern (beats per minute) activates both the left and the right side of the brain, optimizing your brain’s activity and enhancing your recall.
• Alternate Study Spots. Studying in different spots will help you concentrate while reviewing notes and material
• Drink Cocoa. Cocoa (hot chocolate) is filled with antioxidants, cognitive and mood enhancers.  Keep this cocoa as pure as possible, because once sugar is added your energy rush will lead to a crash.
• Form a Study Group. Studying in groups or even pairs will help you get motivated to start studying which is often the biggest challenge for many.  Also, this will allow you to “divide and conquer” terms and phrases which you can then teach to each other.
• Prevent Test Anxiety. While studying, try to get your stressed out so you can re-enact “game time”.  Studying under stress will help you on the day of the test perform well under pressure.  Another option, is imagine yourself getting the test back and acing it, this will build confidence and naturally calm you down, before taking the exam,
• Jog Around Campus. Just 20 minutes of cardio can improve your memory.  Jogging outside and viewing nature will enhance your memory even further, while engaging and appreciating nature even more.
• Manage Your Time. Give yourself enough time to study and prepare for your finals.  Maybe take less hours at work, and avoid scheduling things so close together.
• Go to Office Hours. Talk to your professors and utilize the time they set aside to help students.  That is what they are there for.  They will help you clarify material and offer suggestions that will help you remember or help you study.

10.) Approach Class Differently.  Each subject may require a different study approach.  Try switching up for studying technique for each class.

11.) Build on What You Know.  Start studying what you know and gradually add on new material.  This will help you associate new material with what you are already familiar with.  This makes studying easier and more effective than attempting to “charter unfamiliar waters.”

12) Make It Interesting.  Turn 20 vocabulary words into a “nonsense” 20-word sentence.  Try making a bunch of facts a fun story.  It may help to create an acronym or try word-association to make studying easier.

You can find the full Spring Semester final exam schedule by clicking the link at the end of this article, or go to blackboard.hilbert.edu and click on the “Spring 2016- Exam Schedule” link on the right.

http://www.hilbert.edu/courseschedule/Spring%202016%20Day%20and%20Time%20Schedule.pdf