Tips and Tricks for Relieving Stress and Studying

Hello Fellow Bears, we are currently coming to the end of the semester and are starting our finals. I am always trying to figure out the best ways to study while keeping myself from stressing out to the point that I do not succeed or my grades turn out poorly.

I am going to give you a few tips for studying but also some stress-relieving tips. Your education is important but so is your mental health and if you find yourself struggling, this information could be a big help. These tips and tricks can be used anytime, not just for finals. I’ll be using them next month when I take a summer course for accounting

1. Keep Track.

I have learned the hard way that making sure all of your work is completed is the best thing you can do for yourself. You want to make sure that you are earning all the points you can for the semester and staying up to date with what you need to know for exams.

2. Review.

Final exams usually consist of the things that we learned during the semester, so going over that information can be extremely helpful. Surprisingly, not everyone looks over the class materials but doing so can make things easier. Professors may utilize the same questions or ideas from the material or just flip it around to challenge you with what you studied.

3. Use resources.

You cannot always study the same way for each of your classes; the material in each class might be harder or easier or have different amounts of materials that need to be studied. Take advantage of the resources on campus or any electronic resources that can help you better prepare. Resources like your phone’s note-taker and calendar can be useful, along with websites like Khan Academy, Quizlet, EasyBib and Chegg. Some websites and apps feature tools that you can use to create your own notes, test your knowledge of the material and keep you on track with your own schedule.

4. Take a break.

Studying is important for any test or exam but that is not going to mean much if you get burnt out over the material. Studying in increments of up to twenty to thirty minutes with a break in between can help you to better retain the information and remember what you studied. You can always change the duration of each break if you prefer a longer or shorter one.

5. Sleep.

Make sure that you are getting enough sleep and preserving your energy because you cannot do as much if you are tired and can’t keep your eyes open. You do not want to miss out on any study time, be late for an exam or be sleepy during those exams.

6. Ask questions.

Even though it is the end of the semester, it is still important that you ask if you have any questions. Having as much clarity as possible can help set your mind at ease and clear up any confusion. The pandemic has changed quite a few things so if you do not know something or just need more help to understand specific material, do not be afraid to ask or approach your professor.

Almost done.

The summer is quickly approaching, and I am proud of the fact that I have made it through these last few semesters online.

If you are graduating, I wish you the best in your future endeavors and if you are continuing on during or after the summer, I know that you can succeed to get to whatever you have set your mind on.

~Alexandria

(Bio: I’m the middle child of seven kids in my immediate family. I’m currently a junior business major at Missouri State University.)