finals

The Importance of Study Breaks!

Posted on by Amanda Drazen
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Once Thanksgiving comes and goes, the semester is practically over. And while that  signals the light at the end of the tunnel, a.k.a. Winter Break, it also means you’re hurtling straight into a vat of finals. Final papers, final projects and final exams are all around the corner, meaning you are probably spending more than your fair share of time with your nose stuck in a textbook or computer. To make sure you don’t go crazy, make sure to take a 10-15 minute study break every 2-3 hours you spend studying. You don’t have to do anything specific, just get up, take a walk around, watch a YouTube video, get a coffee, jump rope, call your parents to let them know you’re alive, etc. Giving yourself a few minutes to take a breath and recollect your thoughts can keep you from burning out. So study hard and don’t forget to take breaks!

Kid President’s Finals Week Pep Talk

Posted on by Vanessa Robles

The end of the semester is quickly approaching which can only mean one thing…*cue dramatic music and lightning* finals week is upon us!  Ugh, didn’t just the mention of finals week make your brain hurt? I know mine does. As the semester draws to a close, I think it’s safe to say that we’re all starting to feel a little burnt out. Hey, don’t worry! The semester blues are inevitable and boy oh boy, do I have a cure for you!

Here’s a little pep talk from Kid President to help lift your spirits and get you through the next few weeks.  You are welcome!

The Do’s and Don’ts of Finals

Posted on by Cassidy Obis

finalsFinals, unfortunately, are a time full of stress. During this hectic time, there are certain habits you should keep some you need to kick immediately. Here’s a list of some dos and don’ts for finals time.

Do: Study. This should be a given, but now is not the time to be lazy. If anything, you should be studying more than you have all semester. The only time it’s safe to say not to study would be if you know you’re guaranteed a grade in the class.

Don’t: Lie in bed and watch Netflix all day. This should be another given, but it’s easy to be tempted. Create a reward system for yourself. Maybe for every hour of studying, treat yourself to one episode. Now is not the time to have a Friday Night Lights marathon

Do: Exercise. Working out is a great stress reliever. Give yourself a half hour each day to take your mind off school. It’ll also help counter the junk food you’re bound to eat while studying.

Don’t: Give up (too much) sleep. I know firsthand that it’s easy to cut hours of sleep in exchange for a few more hours of cramming. But a lack of sleep is not healthy, and you can actually perform worse if you’re over-tired. If there’s no way around an all-nighter, make a schedule where you have a nap every couple hours. You’ll thank yourself later.

Do: Work with a partner or study group. The saying “two heads are better than one” is so true for this time of year. Get together with classmates and quiz each other on test material. Working with a partner often helps you retain information better and create fun ways to remember difficult concepts.

Don’t: Expect your classmates to do all the work. Nothing is more annoying than getting a text the night before an exam from that one kid who never came to class and now wants you to send him all of your notes from the ENTIRE semester. Do not, I repeat, do not be this student. If you chose to forgo class in exchange for an extra hour of sleep every morning, rent the textbook (short term rentals are great in this situation) or look on Quizlet for previous students’ flashcards.

What are some of your recommendations for what to do or not to do during finals week?

The Other March Madness

Posted on by Wonderbread

As the semester comes to a close it inevitably gets harder to hunker down and hit the books.  The weather is gorgeous and the spring fever is tangible.  In one day, I saw 3 girls doing P90x from a laptop, a girl cutting a guy’s hair while he wore a trashbag over him like a teepee, and guys frolicking in grass playing frisbee, all out in the lawn outside my dorm in the space of about thirty minutes.  When studying while people are literally frolicking 100 feet from your window becomes unbearable, try these tips.

String up a hammock.  Back home in south Texas, everyone has a porch swing and a hammock (a little “tex” and a little “mex” I suppose).  Something about the motion and a tall glass of water with lemon in it feels like an instant vacation.  Eno hammocks are a little on the pricy side but they last and are super portable.  http://hammockcompany.com/detail.php?id=ENO-DD002

Just looking at a hammock makes me feel more relaxed, happy, and recharged.  You get all the benefits of the outdoors with none of the sun’s rays.  Prop up a book and you can be in the action but still get work done!

Do some easy cardio with a book.  High-intensity workouts may be good for burning calories, but some time on the elliptical at a moderate pace, one that still allows you to read, can bring some relief when you’re feeling cooped up with the books.  Finding time for exercise and studying can be challenging when you’re trying to have a life, too, so knocking them both out at once every now and then feels great.  It may sound like a hassle (and I definitely wouldn’t bring my stats homework) but when you get out you will feel doubly accomplished, and that’s a feeling that can get you through the toughest day.

Take a study break with a friend you don’t see very often.  Call that person up you’ve been meaning to get to know better (I feel like we all have one of those) and invite them to get a frappaccino and plop down under a tree.  Aside from the usual fun of getting to know a new person, the added benefit is if you’ve been dealing with the same stresses for a while (i.e., job, school, break up), your usual group of friends has heard it all before.

Spring can be a blessing and a curse, when you can’t go out and enjoy it, but balance your time right and keep that brain refreshed and you’ll be out there in no time!

-Wonderbread

Most Popular College New Years Resolutions of 2011

Posted on by Elizabeth Lovejoy

New Years Eve is here! It’s time to party, go crazy, celebrate the past year, and…make changes to your life!?!?! Yes. Most people go for the mainstream New Years Resolutions of cutting back on soft drinks, or fast food, while some prefer resolutions like being more patient, and losing weight. College students have their own ideas on how to better themselves. The wackiest resolution I’ve ever heard myself was made by my buddy Dave, who wanted to stop yelling out “WEST SIDE IS THE BEST SIDE, MON!” during class. Now that’s a New Years resolution. Below is a list of some of the more popular resolutions for college students to begin 2012.

  • Get off of Facebook during class. You could be learning instead of gossiping or telling people how you are hungry. This is why we are falling behind.
  • Call and talk to Mom AND Dad at least once a week. If you’re calling to ask for money, it doesn’t count. It will make their day when you call and say “No I didn’t need anything, I just wanted to talk.”
  • Forgive your roommate. Yes he did eat your leftovers, which is an unforgivable offense. But do you want to keep fighting for another year about it?
  • Wean yourself off of World of Warcraft, Call of Duty and the rest. Games are extremely counterproductive in a college setting. Slowly decrease your playing time to avoid withdrawals.
  • Stop eating leftovers that are more than 4 days old. This is just unsanitary.
  • Go to the gym four days each week. Go get BIG! Or just hop on the elliptical if you’re a real manly man. Resolutions like “get in shape” aren’t very effective. This is a measurable resolution which will help you do just that, get in shape.
  • Plan out your next year. If you’re graduating, plan out where you will be moving to, which companies you will apply for a job and in what order, and create a good resume. For those who aren’t seniors, look into what you plan to do during summer, which classes you will be taking next semester, and who you will be living with next year.
  • Take the money that you received selling your old textbooks, and save it for next semester’s books. Most people are lost on this concept.
  • Spend one day each week at the library. Even if you don’t have anything due tomorrow, it’s okay to go to the library and get ahead of everybody else. Imagine this: you could even read the assigned readings! I’m about to graduate, but I still wonder what that might be like.
  • Add another class, or ask for extra hours at work. Bring in the New Year by working harder, it will enable you to play harder. Taking 15 credit hours? Take 18. Working 20 hours a week? Try to get 25. Make yourself a more productive person if possible. Its how some people get ahead in life.

New Years is about becoming a better person. Take this opportunity to better yourself in a way that is measurable and realistic. Did I forget any resolutions? Feel free to add yours in the comments section. Happy New Years.

Alabaster

I’m reading Managerial Accounting

Tastiest Tweets: December 9th

Posted on by Elizabeth Lovejoy

These are our favorite Twitter posts of the week:

10 Hottest Geeky Women ow.ly/7Prc6 from @ChaCha

WARNING: 1 in 3 Young Professionals Suffers from this Career-Related Condiditon ow.ly/7Ppgr via @BrazenCareerist

HAHAHAHA! Ode to Finals Week ow.ly/7R7jy from @CollegeTownLife

5 Tips to College Success ow.ly/7OpiC from UniversityChronicle.net

We love this! Instructional Diagrams for People Who Suck at Everyday Life ow.ly/7Op3y via @cracked

#tigerblood was the #2 hashtag of 2011! Want to learn the rest? Check out @twitter‘s year in review ow.ly/7R7ir

OMG! The world’s largest insect ever photographed! THIS THING IS HUGE! ow.ly/7NdEj

America’s 30 Druggiest Colleges ow.ly/7LFmz from @thedailybeast

Beat the college exam stress with these tips from @USATODAYCollege ow.ly/7NLY0

Enjoy!

 

Lovejoy

I’m reading Business Law: Text and Cases

Tips for Reducing Stress During Finals Week

Posted on by Elizabeth Lovejoy

Finals are right around the corner- are you ready? It’s the time of year when students from coast to coast are stressed, nervous, and anxious. Students are stressed because of the realization that they have three weeks worth of work to do and one week to finish it all. They are nervous because if they fail a class it would be devastating. I know I’ve had all of those feelings at one point or another during finals week, but over the years I’ve found some ways that I deal with the stress of finals week. Here are some tips and tricks I have learned along the way

  • Find Yourself a Study Group. This will allow all members of the group to split up the work evenly. It’s an efficient way to make the best study guide possible so that you focus on learning the study guide instead of trying to find all of the answers.
  • Sleep, Sleep, Sleep. Many of us can’t remember the last time we got eight hours of sleep. This makes finals much harder, because the brain needs proper time to shut down and recharge. When it doesn’t recharge properly, you will notice yourself being slightly “out of it.” In my opinion, getting sleep and studying in the morning is much better for finals week than not sleeping at all.
  • Know Your Study Schedule. As soon as you know when your finals will be held, create a schedule so that there are no surprises. Surprises during finals week are never good. Take the time to figure out exactly when you will study for what exam and stick to the schedule. Being organized is key during finals.
  • Find Music to Keep You Going. Pick some music that helps your brain keep going. Just make sure that it’s not a distraction. The right songs won’t be very noticeable because you’ll be busy studying. The wrong songs will keep your brain focused on the song and not the work that’s piled up right next to you. My advice- listen to instrumentals, they are the best for me.
  • Forget About What Else is going on. Of course finals week is the time when the best video games come out, the best TV shows are on all day, and all of your friends are finished with their finals and ready to celebrate. FORGET ABOUT IT! Focus on the task at hand and you will get through finals week knowing you did your best. Even if you don’t get all of the grades you want, remember you did what you could. When it’s all over, you will either feel a sense of accomplishment or know that you didn’t try hard enough.
  • Do What Works For YOU. Hopefully by this time, you understand which study habits work the best for you. Forget about the way everybody else studies, just stick to the methods that have worked for you in the past because they are most likely to work in the future.

Use these tips as a start to a successful finals week. Remember everybody has to go through it. All of the stress, nervousness, and anxiousness will fade away with the sense of accomplishment that will come with completing your last final.  Good luck on your finals!

 

Alabaster

I’m reading Microsoft Office 2010

10 Tried and True Tips for Pulling an All-Nighter

Posted on by Elizabeth Lovejoy

It’s here, the time of the year when college students from all over the country are scrambling to organize for the misery that is finals week. My gut tells me that there are some students who study weeks and months in advance to prepare, however the rest of us will have some long nights and early days in the next week or two. I know I will. If you’re a freshman, you might be asking yourself, how am I supposed to learn 10 chapters of Spanish in one day? Or how can I memorize this 15-page study guide in one night? The answer is simple: Pulling the infamous all-nighter. The all-nighter is among the most deadly weapons that a procrastinating student can use in this battle of knowledge that is “higher education.” Most of us have been there before, some of us multiple times, so what is the best way to use this weapon? Here is a list of tips that I’ve come up with during my 3 years in college.

  1. Study Groups – Think about it this way. Everyone in the class must complete the 10-page study guide. If 5 students all chip in, that’s only 2 pages of work for each person. Furthermore, it will give everyone more time to study what he or she needs to know instead of searching for answers.
  2. Caffeine – Whether your caffeine fix involves coffee, soft drinks or energy drinks, finals week is the time to use it to your advantage. Do NOT overuse caffeine if you’re panicking. My advice is study for 90 minutes, then take a short break and consume your drink of choice. Use sparingly and caffeine will be your friend.
  3. Take Breaks – This will ultimately slow you down, but it will help you avoid being sidetracked. I usually take a break every 90 minutes to give my brain a rest from information overload.
  4. Music – I like instrumental music the best during finals week. I’ve found that it’s less of a distraction and it still keeps my brain stimulated. I think it’s ultimately beneficial and helps time go by faster.
  5. 2 Tests to Study For? – It’s best to switch up subject every once in a while, to avoid brain drain. Try studying subject 1 for 90 minutes, taking a short break, and studying subject 2 for 90 minutes.
  6. Don’t Fall Asleep – This is without a doubt the most challenging part of pulling an all-nighter. Some tips on staying awake: take a cold shower, spicy foods can help, exercise will get your blood pumping again, take a smoke break, play a quick game of solitaire, make a quick phone call or talk to someone from your class about your study guide. What ever you do, DO NOT take a nap. That 10 minutes will turn into 30, which will turn into the entire night.
  7. Don’t Give Up – If you find yourself in an impossible studying position, just keep on moving. This can be very hard when your stress level is that high, however I have found that it is best to suffer through it. Think about it this way: do you want to go home and fall asleep, knowing that you gave up? Or do you want to study hard all night and go into the exam feeling confident?
  8. Forget about “I’ll finish this in the morning” – No, you wont. Especially if you are getting little to no sleep already. Think about it realistically: If you go to bed at 5 am, and have a test at 9 am, do you really think that you will wake up at 7am and do equations? It’s nearly impossible to wake up clear-headed and ready to do work after two hours of sleep.
  9. Try to laugh – It will keep your stress from taking over, and it will keep your brain stimulated. Try your favorite YouTube videos during breaks. Also a good way that I’ve found is to call a classmate who you know will be less prepared than you. Their progress will give you that little tiny bit of motivation needed to move on.
  10. Stay Confident – This is easier for some than others, but staying confident and positive about your scholastic ability will ultimately help your study session. For example, knowing that you have the confidence to do well will help your brain take in more information. It’s like knowing you’re better than someone in basketball, that confidence might just be the difference in the game.

Bonus Tip – If you’re freaking out, call your Mom or Dad. I have done this many times over the years, and it has helped me greatly. There is something about talking to my mother that helps me calm the storm and keep moving forward. Tell your Mom or Dad that you are freaking out, and ask them for advice. Their advice might not be golden, but just talking to them will help lower your stress levels.

All-nighters are technically not great for your body or mind, however sometimes you have to step up to the plate and do what you have to do, or fail. The choice is yours, choose wisely!

Good Luck Everyone.

Alabaster

I’m reading Economics: Principles, Problems, and Policies