End of year exam anxiety avoided with helpful hints
1. Feeling overwhelmed? Break up everything that needs to get done into small tasks with little rewards upon completion. When facing the daunting task of a 10-page paper with no end in sight, get motivated with something small like an M&M after finishing each paragraph. Little rewards like this have been shown to increase productivity.
2. It is OK to take breaks. A five-minute break for every 20 minutes of studying reduces procrastination and allows the brain to rest and process all the information that’s going in. Every hour, take a 10-minute break, get up and walk around. By taking breaks, there is no need to feel cut off from the outside world. If you’re simply unable to get off Facebook and Twitter, download the program SelfControl. It blocks you from accessing your favorite websites for however long it’s told to, allowing you the freedom to study for that English test.
3. Change up study locations. By studying different information in different places, the brain is better able to remember facts. Local coffee shops like Cool Beans and Drip offer a great environment to review study guides when the Thomas Cooper Library is too crowded.
4. Know where printing is available. Thomas Cooper isn’t the only place on campus that offers printing. Get copies made at Quick Copy in the basement of the Russell House, use the lab in the basement of Gambrell Hall or print for free in the Russell House lobby during finals week.
5. It’s OK to cry. Finals week is a very stressful time, and sometimes, it can seem like too much to handle. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with work, the Counseling Center offers free walk-in appointments between 2 and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Talk to one of the licensed therapists about ways to reduce stress or manage your test anxiety.
6. Stop by the Student Success Center. Located on the mezzanine level of the library, the SSC offers many test-taking strategies. From true/false tests to essays, the SSC has the resources to help you conquer your finals. It also offers peer revision of papers. Bring in an essay with questions or concerns, and the trained students will help fix typos and errors to help you turn in your best work.
7. Don’t be afraid to sit down with a professor. Most professors want to help and want students to succeed. Don’t be afraid to go to their office hours or to ask about problems, the final or the possibility of doing extra credit work.
8. Get some sleep. Brains commit facts to memory during sleep. While spending 14 hours holed up in Thomas Cooper cramming for chemistry might seem like a great idea at the time, it can actually be detrimental to your ability to remember information once it’s time to take the test. It’s better to walk into a final rested and ready to go than bleary-eyed with a venti, triple-shot coffee.
9. Remember that it’s only a test. Even if sometimes it seems like all hope is lost, keep studying, and remember that this is only a test. Diminish the power the exams have over you, and your stress will immediately plummet. Winter break is just around the corner, and this is only a speed bump on the road home.
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