Hello Geology Majors,
I hope this message finds you well and working hard to wrap up your final course projects while studying for final exams. I know that the end of the semester can be stressful, so it is always good to have a plan and stick to it. Please don't hesitate to come see me if you feel your plan isn't working well as I'm sure that we can work together to get you back on track.
Final exams can be very stressful things, and I'll admit that I was terrible at studying for them. The Princeton Review has a great article outlining to how prepare for final exams, and here are the key points:
1. Make a finals game plan.
2. Start early.
3. Study in this order: a) definitely b) probably c) might be on the final.
4. Give yourself more time to study for your toughest classes.
5. Form a study group.
6. Talk it out.
7. Get creative with study aids.
8. Study your notes.
9. Quiz yourself.
10. Make sleep a priority. (DO NOT CRAM ALL NIGHT LONG!)
11. Take five.
12. Brain food is real.
You can read the full article at https://www.princetonreview.com/college-advice/how-to-study-for-finals for more information about each of the above 12 points.
Here are some additional things to keep in mind for exam day. First, make sure that you plan for plenty of time to get to your final exam so that you can be on time. We have had good weather so far this December, but that doesn't mean that we won't have snow on the ground come exam time (although the long range forecasts make that seem unlikely). Second, always bring more materials to your exam than you will think you will need. A final exam is a terrible time to run out of pencil lead, pen ink, or scratch paper, and it would be bad time for the batteries in your calculator to die without replacements. Remember Murphy's Law! Three, DO NOT CRAM ALL NIGHT LONG for your final exam in any class! I almost never pays off to do this, and you won't remember any of the important information in the long term. Lastly, I remember to have a restroom break before your final exam starts.
I hope this tips help you have a successful final exam week. Please contact your course instructor as soon as possible if something happens that could prevent you from taking your final exam. The worse thing that you can do is not contacting your course instructor if an extraordinary event or circumstance is going to prevent you from sitting for the exam. Things happen, and more often than not, an alternative will be available.
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Best wishes, Doug
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