1. Go to Review Sessions

Review sessions are some of your most important classes. They’re your chance to find out what to expect from an exam in terms of the style of questions and topics it will cover. Your professors may also give you tips about preparing for the exam, such as where to focus your attention.

2. Ask About Any Doubts

If you have any doubts about the format of the exam, the material it covers, or anything else related to your studies, reach out to your professors for guidance. Drop them an email or pay them a visit during office hours.

3. Create a Study Guide

The professors for some of your classes may have already provided you with study guides, but it still makes sense to create your own. Summarizing the main topics and concepts can help you see where you need to focus your efforts when preparing for your exams.

4. Start Preparing Early

As soon as you know the dates for your exams, start studying. You’ll do much better on your finals if you spread studying over several weeks than if you leave everything to the night before. Not only will you have the chance to spend extra time on anything you find particularly difficult, you’ll be able to take regular breaks to give your mind a rest and get enough sleep to improve your concentration during the exam itself.

5. Join a Study Group

If you’re not already in study groups for your classes, now’s the time to join some. There are several benefits to studying with others. For instance, explaining concepts to someone else is a great way to ensure you’ve understood and discussing ideas can make them come alive. You can also use your sessions to test each other with flashcards — if you all come up with ideas, you’ll be able to create a large deck you can use for playing games.

6. Prioritize Difficult Exams

When creating a study schedule, allocate more time for the most challenging classes. You may also like to give yourself extra time for exams that are worth a larger percentage of your final grade.

7. Study Actively

Active study techniques are more effective than passive ones. For example, instead of rereading your notes, it’s better to reorganize them — you could summarize the most important points, highlight key facts, or create a glossary of the definitions you need to know. You could also turn your notes into mind maps and diagrams to show how concepts are linked to each other.

Having a place where you can study for exams in peace is crucial. If you’re living on campus in a noisy dorm, you may find you need to go to the library every time you want to study, which puts restrictions on your study schedule. A better solution is to move into your own apartment. An alternative to Brock University residence is Regent. You’ll have a fully-furnished private bedroom, complete with a desk for studying. Whenever you want a change of scenery, you can head to the community room, which is also a top place for socializing. Apply for your spot now.