Welcome back, Missouri State Bears! Congratulations on a semester full of hard work and achievements. We are nearing the end of the fall 2024 semester and finals have been assigned! Each year Missouri State recognizes the Friday before finals week as a study day where no classes are scheduled to allow time for studying. This blog is written in hopes of inspiring students to take advantage of the study day and add success to final results as opposed to “taking the day off.” You’ve worked towards this end date all semester long and it’s time to show what you know and celebrate the new knowledge you’ve obtained.

Start the Prepwork  

Prior to starting your day of studying it’s good to know what the day will look like. Review each course, and the syllabi, and create a list of all of the items you need to complete to feel prepared for the final. Once you’ve created your list you’ll be a better judge in deciding how long you’ll need to spend on each item, if you should dedicate other days of the week to studying, or if you have more flexibility than you initially intended. Prep work can also be messaging your classmates and creating a study group, emailing instructors with any questions, or booking office hour appointments if needed. Lastly, be sure to get a good night of rest before the study day and the days following as you take your exams and complete the projects. The more prepared you are going into the day the better you’ll feel starting and the more productive you’ll be. 

Make the Most of the Day

You’ve done the prep work, but now the day is here! After a good night’s rest and a healthy breakfast choice, your day can begin with the list you created prior so that you have direction for how the day should go. The location you choose to do your studying in should be a space where you feel you can be productive, inspired, and motivated. This can be on or off-campus as you prefer. In a recent blog post, CAST staff named a few of their favorite study spots on campus. Once you’ve arrived at your location it’s time to “lock in” and start studying! Don’t forget to take breaks to eat, socialize, rest, or get some fresh air!

Takeaways

We have written several posts on Finals/test-taking that I recommend checking out as you prepare for your academic studying the semester. As we finish out, remind yourself of all the hard work that you’ve put in and make yourself proud! Finals are an evaluation of what you’ve learned not who you are as an individual – remember that and good luck! 

~Aubrey

(Bio: My name is Aubrey Hardy, and I am a senior studying special needs education. Fun fact: I’ve read over 15 books this year!)