Five common mistakes and how to avoid them

Mistake #1: Cramming (staying up all night to study, or trying to study one subject for too many hours in a row)

How this is a problem:

Think of it this way. Would you expect someone to prepare to run a marathon by staying up all night the night before and running for hours and hours? Of course not. In the same way, if you cram for hours and hours, your brain will get tired and you will not remember all of the information that you studied very well. You will be trying to make yourself perform optimally on a test when you are mentally exhausted.

Solutions:

• Break your study times up into smaller amounts of time (study up to one hour before you take some kind of a break - but no longer).
• Vary your studying by reviewing one subject for an hour or so, then taking a break and switching to another subject. This will keep you from getting burned out on one topic.
• Vary your study methods. This means study by reading, looking over your notes, reviewing the subject with another student in the class, using notecards, and making new notes about the material. This will help you maintain a higher level of energy and concentration. Again, remember that you shouldn't try to do all of these in a row - pace yourself by taking breaks and getting some rest in between study sessions.

Mistake #2: Assuming that you know the material very well when you only have a superficial understanding of it.

How this is a problem:

It is tempting to look over your notes, skim through your textbook, and review your assignments and get the feeling that you know the material well enough to take a test on it, even though your knowledge may not be specific enough to help you out on the actual test questions. Students who fall into this trap often get to the test time and realize that they are far more unprepared than they thought.

Solutions:

• Find a way to test yourself on the material before the actual test time. For example, you might want to invent test questions and answer them, apply your knowledge to a new situation or example, or have a friend quiz you on the information.
• Writing down information in your own words is also a good way to test for understanding. If you can't write a definition, a theory, etc... in your own words, you probably don't know it well enough to answer questions about it on a test.

Mistake #3: Trying to be a "superhuman" student during finals week.

How this is a problem:

Some students miss class during the semester, neglect reading assignments, or in other ways put themselves in a situation where they have to become a "superhuman" student in order to do well on a final exam. Basically, by not doing what they were supposed to do during the semester, they are making it impossible to study productively during final exam week, because they have too much information to cover in too short a time period. 

Solutions:

• During the semester before the final exam, keep up with your work, go to class regularly, and spend at least some time every week reviewing what you are learning (even if you only spend 15 minutes a week reviewing for each class). This will put you in a much better position to review for your finals.
• Keep in mind that, in most cases, as you are studying for your finals you are not supposed to be learning the information for the first time. You are supposed to be reviewing what you have already learned in class and from your assignments during the semester. Make sure that you are in a position where you are reviewing - not learning for the first time.

Mistake #4: Using study time unproductively.

How this is a problem:

Many students have good intentions of studying hard over finals week, but they make the mistake of using their study time unproductively. For example, have you ever sat in the library and read through a chapter, then realized that you didn't understand anything that you read? Or have you ever gotten together a study group for a class, then spent half the time talking about the latest episode of "The X Files"? Sometimes students don't realize how much time they are wasting by not paying attention to whether or not they are actually getting anything out of their study time.

Solutions:

• As you are studying, check at least once every half an hour to see if you are staying on track and understanding what you are reviewing. If you aren't, you need to change something about what you are doing. For example, if you are reviewing your notes for a final and you don't understand them very well, you might want to get together with someone from the class and talk through the material. You may also want to talk to your professor about the questions that you have.
• Make sure that you pay attention to your level of concentration when you study. When you feel that your mind is wandering or that you are too tired to really concentrate, don't try to push yourself into continuing to study. Take a break and then continue when you are able to be productive again. Studying for hours after your brain has stopped absorbing material is a waste of time.

Mistake #5: Putting your health aside in order to study more intensively.

How this is a problem:

Some students put aside getting enough sleep, eating properly, and in general taking care of their health because they feel that every minute needs to be focused on studying for their finals. However, it is unlikely that you will perform very well on your final exams if you are a wreck physically. You will be able to concentrate better and remember more information if you are physically in good shape.

Solutions:

• Get at least some sleep the night before your exam. Even if you only sleep for four or five hours, this will give your brain a chance to rest and recharge itself.
• Remember to eat breakfast before your exam, and remember to eat at least some healthy foods during finals week in general. Your brain will function better if you aren't having blood sugar problems from eating poorly.