Survival Guide for Finals Week

Final's week is this week at our granddaughter's university and next week at mine.  Of course the main way to prepare for finals is to have been studying and preparing all along.  But there are a few more things to keep in mind:

• Know when and where the final will be held.  (At my university it will be on one of the regular meeting days and in the same classroom but at a slightly different time.  Some schools have block finals where the final is in a different building, time, etc.)
• If the exam is in a different location, find it a few days before the exam so you know exactly where you are going.  You might even consider taking some time and reviewing the information in that location.  (It is easier to recall information in the same location where you learned it!)
• Be sure to maintain proper sleep and nutrition.  You will do better if you feel better!  (What ever you do, do not pull an all-nighter before an exam. You will not recover before the week is over!)
• On that same thought, get up in time to shower, scrub your teeth and eat breakfast before a big exam.
• Before you go to sleep at night review important information you need to know for the next day's exam.  Then go right to sleep - do not turn on your computer or television!
• If you have several exams in a row, make quick review cards to go over as you travel from one exam to another.  That will start to get your brain into the next material.
• Finally, don't get caught up in other students' anxiety.  They are just releasing theirs and giving it to you!

If you missed it, go back and review my previous blog about test-taking strategies.  Good luck!
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First Semester Success: Learning Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at amazon.com, wordassociation.com and barnesandnoble.com.  Click on the upper right link.