With finals season approaching, many Benilde St. Margaret’s students are beginning to prepare for the exams in various ways. With some students studying for weeks in advance, and some not studying at all, many students wonder what study methods achieve the best results. Although effective studying methods differ for every person, I have found some common methods that tend to be successful for many, along with helping boost scores and tranquility.
Over the past two years at BSM, I have tried many different approaches to studying. The method I find that works best for fellow students and me involves locking away any distractions or devices and going to an isolated spot to focus purely on schoolwork. This method can be difficult because it is hard to be truly secluded from outside distractions, and most people would rather be online than studying for finals. However, when done effectively, this method can create the best results because I am fully in tune with the content, and it’s easier to absorb. Some locations I recommend with fewer distractions are libraries such as Barnes and Noble, coffee shops, and any places with little to no music and a cozy vibe.
Another popular study method is procrastinating until the last minute and only studying the night before. This approach is very popular and seems to be a last resort for many students. By putting studying off until the last moment, they prioritize peace in the days before, but maximize last-minute stress. This can be effective for specific subjects and certain people, but it mostly adds stress instead of information to my brain, so I try to stay away from relying on this method.
One of the most effective ways to study is by starting far in advance of your finals so the work remains bearable and anxiety is minimized. This is the method that is usually suggested by teachers and tends to get the best test results while still balancing your mental health. The hardest part of this technique is starting because studying for finals can be dreadful for me, but once I get going, this method tends to work well.
My suggestion for the best ways to study for finals if you don’t want to start but don’t want to cram is to use your time wisely and limit distractions while studying. This may seem hard, but if you want to feel good going into the stressful week, this seems to ease that worry the best.