With finals just around the corner, it’s easy to get stressed.
To combat Boston University students’ anxiety, the Educational Resource Center held a tutorial titled “Mid-term to Finals: Using Your Tests to Improve Your Performance,” at George Sherman Union on Wednesday.
The ERC aimed to help students avoid cramming for exams by evaluating past test performance, creating study plans and applying study techniques.
Peer Tutoring Coordinator and School of Education graduate student Michele Naughton gave the tutorial to a small group in order to help students with their study habits.
Naughton began by giving a pre-test about good versus poor studying habits.
She asked, “During exam week is it best to give up a) sleep, b) meals, c) recreation or d) none of the above?”
The correct answer was none of the above, revealing that students should still remain healthy and relaxed even while trying to study for exams, she said.
The pre-test also showed that in an effective study plan, the bulk of the work should be completed before finals week even begins.
Naughton said that a useful study tool is to use past tests to prepare for exams.
“It’s a good idea to look over your previous exams before the final,” she said. “Examine both your right and wrong answers and study any patterns you notice. With your wrong answers, figure out why you chose that answer and the best way to not make that mistake again.”
She also suggested taking advantage of professors’ office hours to clarify course material and ask questions about anything that seems confusing.
“Always go prepared with a question or two, always ask if you’re on the right track, and always ask about the best way to study the material,” she said.
The workshop continued by focusing on avoiding cramming for exams at all costs.
Naughton conceded that it is difficult for college students to stay away from last-minute cramming, especially with all the distractions students are faced with.
However, she added that short-term memory is “the first thing to go” when stress begins to build up.
Cramming, she said, may in fact lead to forgetting all of the material the minute students sit down to take the exam.
The workshop focused on breaking up studying into small intervals and allowing time for active breaks, such as getting up to get a drink of water or a snack.
Naughton also encouraged students to schedule their time wisely during finals week, know their exam schedule ahead of time and keep in mind how much time is needed to thoroughly prepare for each test.
Balance is what is needed in order to healthily and successfully prepare for the upcoming finals and any exam in the future, she said.
The suggestions that Naughton made had an impact on the students in attendance.
College of Communication sophomore Cae Young said that although it is difficult for her to change her study habits, the workshop helped her learn new strategies for studying.
“If I want to [change my study habits], I definitely now have the tools,” she said.
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