Finals are quickly approaching and for many students, this can be the most stressful time of the year. It is imperative to stay focused and follow strategies that will help you succeed during finals week.

Terra Hall, director of student support in the Center for Student Success, believes that there are two important strategies that students should follow during finals week. The first is the use of previous exams and tests from the semester. Studying from previous exams can prepare students for final exams that may be cumulative.

Another strategy that Hall suggests is to meet in small groups with students from the course.

“It is important to meet with small groups while preparing for final exams because students can quiz one another on the material for the course. The more comfortable a student is with the content, the more prepared the student will be,” said Hall.

While preparing for finals, it is also important that students get enough sleep. Many believe that studying all night will help them remember all that they have studied for the exam the next day, but research has shown this is not the case.

Sophomore psychology major Alexis Green said that students shouldn’t pull ‘all-nighters’.

“I’ve tried staying up all night studying for a final. I thought by doing so I would still remember the content for the next day, but I realized I needed between six and eight hours of sleep to remember the information. My advice for my peers who are taking finals is that they should rest. Do not try to pull an all-nighter,” said Green.

Green added that studying in a testing environment that mimics the testing area is also helpful when preparing for final exams.  Finding an empty classroom for individual study or small group work can produce positive results.

In an article written for the Huffington Post, author Matthew Ogbeifun provides students with several tips to use for preparation for final exams. Creating flash cards, managing time wisely, eating a balanced meal and taking short breaks are tips that Ogbeifun believes are important for students to follow.

You can find the link to view more tips from Ogbeifun’s article, “20 Tips to Help Ace your Exams” here.