The Driftwood #35: Self-Care Corner

April 26th, 2023

Only You Can Prevent All-Nighters

Finals Week is right around the corner, and unless you have amazing study habits (and we hope you do!), you might have found yourself pulling a few all-night cram sessions or essay-writing marathons in the past. Does the thought of doing that again sound awful? It is. But with a week-and-a-half left before the end of the semester, you still have time to prevent cramming and all the stress that comes with it.

“Trying to study all night before an exam may cause you to be too tired to focus during a test, or you might even fall asleep in class,” says Academic Success Coach Sam Lee.   

Sam recommends the following tips to prevent cramming and study more effectively: 

• Plan your study sessions now. Starting now, or at least a week before your first exam, Sam recommends setting aside 30 minutes to an hour each day per class to study and work on final projects or papers. Put your study hours on your calendar and treat those time blocks as set in stone. Don’t schedule major events or appointments during those hours. Reduce your work hours and other meetings, if possible.
• Avoid distractions during study hours: Tell friends and family you’re studying and unavailble during your set study hours. Avoid studying with friends, if you’ll be more engaged with talking with them than hitting the books. Turn off your phone and hide it. Keep healthy snacks and drinks nearby so you’re not always running to the refrigerator or snack machine. Don’t even think about firing up Netflix.
• Study in an effective location: Study in a quiet location with few distractions, like the library or a study room on campus.
• Encourage yourself. Sam recommends writing the following on a Post-It note where you can see it every day to get into the right mindset and encourage yourself to follow through with your study plans: “I am going to study early, so I don’t cram. I am going to get an A on this exam. I can do this.” You might give yourself little rewards after studying, like a snack or an episode of your favorite trashy TV show.
• Take breaks! Schedule your breaks so you remember to hydrate, eat meals, and rest. You might try the Pomodoro method, which bulids in breaks and was created to maximize your ability to recall what you’re studying: Set a timer for 25 minutes. Study until your timer goes off. Take a five-minute break. Repeat four times, then take a longer 15- to 20-minute break.
• Go over past material. Sam recommends rewriting your notes from class, in a condensed, and reworded format, which will help cement concepts into your brain. If you have a cumulative exam, go over old exams and assignments, as well. You might also brainstorm the kinds of questions your professor might put on the exam, and challenge yourself to answer those questions during your study periods.
• Review the night before an exam. Don’t start studying any new material the night before an exam. Set aside this time to review and get a good night’s sleep!
• Visit your Academic Success Coach. Sam Lee can help you develop a study schedule that works for you, give you more tips to study effectively, help you organize your final assignments, and more. Visit the Academic Success Coach’s website to book a virtual appointment. (It’s free!) Scroll to the bottom of the site to access Sam’s “Academic Success Library” of videos with study tips and more.