Test stress: learn how to survive finals
Shannon Hoag
Issue date: 4/30/01 Section: Details
Freshman Alyssa Ottow’s roommate has been studying for finals since spring break. She has notecards color-coordinated according to class date, lecture topic and memorization difficulty.
Ottow may be new to finals week, but she quickly is learning from her roommate that the art of studying leaves a lot of room for personal expression.
With finals drawing near, the line between the overly prepared and the dangerously slacking is becoming more defined.
While her roommate slaves away at the computer, Ottow sacrifices the occasional lecture to enjoy the recent sunshine, play volleyball in the sand and rollerblade in Carson Park. Ottow said the fun will have to end soon for her to maintain her high grade point average.
“I plan on studying the next couple weeks and the week of finals,” Ottow said. “My tests are really spread out, so I’m hoping to work that in my favor.”
Associate professor of sociology and anthropology Melissa Bonstead-Bruns advises against any procrastination. Bonstead-Bruns, who trained tutors to assist students with test-taking, study strategies and skills development while teaching at the University of Iowa, recommended blocking out time each day to study. The best strategy, however, is to always be current with assigned work from a class.
Students looking for short-term strategies are advised to prioritize their demands. Knowing how much the final exam for a class will affect one’s final grade or overall GPA may determine how much time is needed to prepare adequately for an exam, Bonstead-Bruns said.
Sophomore Sarah Hong prepares by getting most of her studying done before finals week in order to reduce stress.
“Procrastination leads to too much stress during finals week,” Hong said. “With the nice weather, it’s easy to put off classwork.”
Rather than denying distractions, Bonstead-Bruns said personal rewards are a great idea.
“Study for an hour or so, then reward yourself with a walk outside or some ice cream,” she said.
Knowing how to study various class material also is helpful. For multiple choice or recall exams, notecards are good, Bonstead-Bruns said. For essay questions and exams, applications to real-life situations or practicing with sample essay questions work well.
Hong and Bonstead-Bruns said to make a list and take it one task at a time. They also said not to be overwhelmed by four or five exams in one week, but rather be realistic about what can be accomplished.
Most importantly, Bonstead-Bruns said if studying has been put off to the last minute, the only thing to do is “stay calm to the best of your ability.”
Ottow may be new to finals week, but she quickly is learning from her roommate that the art of studying leaves a lot of room for personal expression.
With finals drawing near, the line between the overly prepared and the dangerously slacking is becoming more defined.
While her roommate slaves away at the computer, Ottow sacrifices the occasional lecture to enjoy the recent sunshine, play volleyball in the sand and rollerblade in Carson Park. Ottow said the fun will have to end soon for her to maintain her high grade point average.
“I plan on studying the next couple weeks and the week of finals,” Ottow said. “My tests are really spread out, so I’m hoping to work that in my favor.”
Associate professor of sociology and anthropology Melissa Bonstead-Bruns advises against any procrastination. Bonstead-Bruns, who trained tutors to assist students with test-taking, study strategies and skills development while teaching at the University of Iowa, recommended blocking out time each day to study. The best strategy, however, is to always be current with assigned work from a class.
Students looking for short-term strategies are advised to prioritize their demands. Knowing how much the final exam for a class will affect one’s final grade or overall GPA may determine how much time is needed to prepare adequately for an exam, Bonstead-Bruns said.
Sophomore Sarah Hong prepares by getting most of her studying done before finals week in order to reduce stress.
“Procrastination leads to too much stress during finals week,” Hong said. “With the nice weather, it’s easy to put off classwork.”
Rather than denying distractions, Bonstead-Bruns said personal rewards are a great idea.
“Study for an hour or so, then reward yourself with a walk outside or some ice cream,” she said.
Knowing how to study various class material also is helpful. For multiple choice or recall exams, notecards are good, Bonstead-Bruns said. For essay questions and exams, applications to real-life situations or practicing with sample essay questions work well.
Hong and Bonstead-Bruns said to make a list and take it one task at a time. They also said not to be overwhelmed by four or five exams in one week, but rather be realistic about what can be accomplished.
Most importantly, Bonstead-Bruns said if studying has been put off to the last minute, the only thing to do is “stay calm to the best of your ability.”
