Study Skills for Finals

Suggestions and tips to help get you prepared for your finals

study+session

study session

by Jessica Cox, Reporter

Finals are right around the corner and with the impending doom of the tests looming over students shoulders, they’re looking for a way to not only study quickly but efficiently in order to refresh themselves of the semester topics.

Those who are not aware of their preferred studying style are able to take online quizzes or find articles to suggest to them what methods could be useful. Mrs. Ford, an English teacher from Central Kitsap High School explained in an interview, “Making a connection to the material by taking notes while I’m reading and writing down key points by hand helps me remember it better.” 

Although difficult, the best way to eliminate stress when going into finals is to pre plan your workload. Finding a quiet place and eliminating distractions, such as phones and outside noise. It can help students decrease the possibility of procrastinating over studying. 

Helpful study preparation ideas:

  • Repeatedly writing down information in hopes of memorizing it
  • Eating properly and getting at least 8 hours of sleep before the test
  • Creating an organized study schedule that won’t force you to cram the night before
  • If helpful, playing some slow songs or lo-fi tunes to help you concentrate
  • Review over needed material and make sure you clearly understand it
  • Online websites or videos could help you understand something your having difficulty grasping
studying in school library

Himena Snavely, a Sophomore at CKHS, said “I mostly try to get a good amount of sleep the night before a big test and prepare the most the week before.” She also included,“I mostly try to get a good amount of sleep the night before a big test and prepare the most the week before”.

After discovering what helps you prepare for tests, practice those skills and don’t avoid  trying new ones every once in awhile. In an article about study habits, it suggests studying the most difficult subject before any other. That will require the most effort and mental energy, but once its out of the way, things should get a lot easier from there. 

Whether you’re studying for your daily vocab quiz or your semester final, finding your study method can be useful in almost any class you have in high school and beyond. If you’ve been told that high school gets harder as each year goes by, and with more difficult classes, finding your learning style will help you create more of an immersive learning experience.