Winter break has a totally different meaning for online and distance learning students. Your average freshmen might look forward to laying around the house while their parents cook for them, but non-traditional students still have to go to work and fulfill all of life’s other duties.
But that doesn’t mean distance students are any less excited to be done with another semester of coursework! With finals quickly approaching, it’s time for traditional and nontraditional students alike to start cracking down on their coursework. Below are a few tips to ensure that you finish the semester strong and kick your finals’ butts!
- Know where you stand
Be aware of your grades; this will help you make the best use of your time. If you have to choose, devote more time to the classes you’re struggling with – not the ones where you have straight A’s.
- Start with snacks
Before you settle down for your long winter study session, make sure you have lots of brain food to keep you focused. Buy healthy snacks like almonds or fruit and avoid sugary snacks like cookies and candy, which will only make you tired and less focused (even though they’re the yummiest).
- Create a study plan
Creating a study plan is one of the most important things you can do when trying to succeed in a class. If you have a lot of information to remember, writing out your notes by hand, even more than once, might work better than just re-reading. Study for a comprehensive final by creating flash cards and then quizzing yourself to find where you need to focus.
- Take breaks
Your brain needs time to relax and soak up all of the information you’ve been pouring into it. Take a 15-minute break every hour and go outside, watch some videos on YouTube or play with your pets.
- Sleep
Always make sure you’re getting enough sleep! Staying up until three hours before your test is not a recipe for success. You’ve worked hard all semester and you deserve to be able to answer your exam questions intelligently.
Published: August 27th, 2020