Right when the midterm season wraps up, finals become THE impending doom. You know it’s coming, you know it’s almost here but you refuse to accept it 😀 They do say, “Ignorance is bliss”–hold up, let’s rewind, this is time for you to show your profs what you’re made of!
Here’s my guide to raising your GPA during finals (not wrecking it 👏). These strategies have kept me sane through the stress of finals!
🌟 Reflect on the Midterm Season
Step one to any exam prep is reflection. This section is ctrl+c and ctrl+p from my ‘How to Improve from Your Midterms’ blog—it is just too important to miss out on!
Once you have your exams back, reflect on the exam itself and your preparation.
Here are some questions to guide your reflection:
Is there a pattern within the exam? Was I better with a certain style of question?
Were the questions I got wrong due to content gaps or test-taking strategy (eg. misreading the question, lack of time to complete the question)
How was my mind while taking the test? Was I calm/stressed? Was I too fast/slow? Was I distracted? How did these factors influence my test-taking ability?
What went well during my preparation for the exam?
Did I procrastinate preparing for the exam? Should I have spent less time or more time preparing? Should I focus on content or practice next time?
Use these questions to gain an understanding of how you can prepare for finals with existing and new strategies.
😇 Prioritize during Finals
Now that you’ve thought about your previous exams, it is time to assess the unique challenges and considerations of your finals. There’s only so much time during finals season; it is essential to learn when and how to prioritize your exams.
When are your finals?
Note these dates down in your calendar and take a closer look. How many days are between your finals? Do you have consecutive exams? Do you have 8 am exams or 7 pm exams?
If you have 2 finals close together followed by a week (or so) before your next set, you may want to prioritize the first two finals. If you have consecutive exams, you may have to practice switching your brain from one course to another when you’re studying too! If you have 8 am or 7 pm exams, you may want to practice being awake and working hard during those time periods.
How much do your exams weigh in regard to your final grade?
The marketing scheme of your class is an important consideration. If your exam is worth >40% of your overall grade, you need to prioritize this class because a bad final grade can bring your overall grade down significantly. On the other hand, you may have a marking scheme where the professor takes the higher grade for your midterm and final; if your midterm went well, you may consider prioritizing the final less.
Ultimately, think about the nuances of your marking scheme and how they impact your final course grade and GPA.
Which courses are you concerned about?
You may have a midterm that you bombed or a particularly hard class. If this is the case, you may want to prioritize these classes to ensure that you can meet your academic goals.
Remember that some courses may do more harm to your GPA because of their credits and prioritize courses based on your specific goals.
⏰ Create a Schedule
After the reflection, it is time to create a schedule!
Here are some questions I use to guide myself in creating a schedule:
Do you plan on reviewing a topic(s) every day? Would it be helpful to assign topics to your days?
Do you plan on studying by yourself, with friends, or both?
How will you track your progress on different topics? Eg. Spreadsheet system, Anki, etc.
How will you prepare for this type of exam? What practice will you do and when (eg. practice questions, practice exams)
How will you replicate the exam environment?
How will you build flexibility into your schedule?
Here’s a screenshot of my revision tracker from finals. Read more about this tracker in my ‘Managing Your Time During Midterm Season’ blog post!
Truly consider all these points in creating your schedule to maximize your time and gain a sense of control!
🌸 Self Care
Self-care is an essential part of the finals grind as students often near burnout during this time! Please take care of your mind and soul, and trust me, this will be reflected in your grades.
Create a routine for your finals season days
What time will you wake up? What activities will ground you in the morning? I need my cup of coffee, my journal, and a fresh set of clothes.
What about your night routine? How do you re-wind before bed and take time for yourself? When do you hope to sleep by for a full 8 hours of rest? Personally, I like to re-watch comfort shows (eg. Gilmore girls) and sleep at around 11 PM.
Before the exam and after the exam
How do you take care of yourself on the morning of an exam? I normally stop reviewing 3 hours before the exam and relax with a comfort show and food.
How do you treat yourself after an exam? I love to buy myself a yummy meal or a snack and take a 4-hour nap 😀
Food and Sleep
Feed yourself well and sleep well, no matter what. Healthy food can make you feel refreshed so prepare some food ahead of time for the days you’ll be the most busy. Always prioritize that extra hour of sleep > tired, mindless studying.
These are my tips for you! Finals is a marathon, not a sprint—please take of yourself along the way. Good luck!
All my best,
N
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