Preparing for final exams

Final exams are on their way: April 11 through April 25, 2025, is the examination period for the Winter Term. Leading up to exams, familiarize yourself with UM’s various student supports that promote health, wellness, and academic success.

Here are some recommendations to prepare for studying and writing your exams.

Studying

Different students will have different studying strategies, however here are some that may be helpful.

• Check the exam schedule and manage any exam conflicts and deferrals as soon as possible. In order to write your exam, you need to know when and where it is to help plan.
• Find out what type of exam you are writing for each course. Knowing the format will help you determine what to study, how to study and what you need to prepare.
• Once you have your exam schedule, plan out your study schedule. By keeping important dates in mind, you can plan out how much time to dedicate to a given course and ensure that you can give yourself enough time to prepare for topics that are more challenging.
• Refer to your syllabus, course schedule and course objectives to understand what the course outcomes for your class are. This can help identify important areas of focus that require more attention than others.
• Gather and organize your class materials. Lecture notes, assignments, assigned readings, tests, practice questions, etc. Study a variety of course materials and compare them to the course objectives to understand what you need to understand about various aspects of the course.
• Study actively by creating something new. Reorganize the information in your course material, rewrite your notes, re-summarize your readings, redo tests, create new ways of presenting information discussed in class. This obliges you to fully engage with the material.
• Avoid cramming. Cramming is an overload of the brain. There is only so much you can retain in a short period of time and this can lead to poor results.
• Instead of cramming, if you are short on time, prioritize chapter summaries, course objectives and the material you are less familiar with.
• Test yourself. Redo tests and quizzes. Create and answer your own questions. Try to summarize topics or concepts without referring to your course materials, then go back and fill in any gaps.
• Do LOTS of practice problems, especially if you are in problem-based courses like Math, Statistics, Chemistry, Physics, or Engineering. Do the hardest questions. Approach problem solving in an organized way using the Academic Learning Centre’s GUESS method.
• Be proactive. Ask questions! Talk with your course instructor or teaching assistant and see what supports they can provide. You can also find recorded Academic Success Workshops that can help you continue to succeed, or you can book an appointment with an Academic Learning Centre content/study skills tutor.

Practise Self-care

Focusing on your wellness is as important as studying. It is difficult to retain information and prepare yourself for what is to come if you are not functioning at your best. UM’s supports are numerous. Here are some supports offered this exam period

• Get support and reach out. The Student Counselling Centre offers counselling services for students and has a variety of groups and workshops throughout the year.

• • If you need help developing an action plan for a specific challenge, the SCC offers Single Session Therapy appointments to help you finish the term.
  • If you need a place to study that is not the library or you want to connect with student supports, visit the Student Wellness Centre. The Centre can support you, connect you to supports you may need and more generally offers a safe, calm space for students.

• Attend some of the events on campus designed to support students.

• • Refuel & Charge Ahead! — Monday, April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Swing by the Fletcher Argue hallway for a quick pick-me-up! Our Charge Ahead mentors will be handing out coffee and cookies to students who stop by. Come say hi, grab a sweet treat and charge ahead into exams energized!
  • Doughnut Stress, You’ve Got This! — Tuesday, April 15 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Visit the Connection Desk 109 UMSU University Centre for a free doughnut and affirmation to help power you through the day. 
  • Crunch time — Wednesday, April 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. | Staff from the Student Wellness Centre will be going around campus to fuel students with snacks and deliver the good news that the SWC will be open throughout the spring and summer. Make sure to say hi and grab some brain food!
  • Coffee and Cookie delivery — Thursday, April 10 and Wednesday, April 16 from 7 and 9 p.m. (both days) | Spiritual Care and Multi-Faith Services in partnership with UMSU are gearing up to deliver coffee and cookies to students studying on campus in the evenings for final exams.
  • Doughnuts and Coffee — Monday, April 21 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (while supplies last) | The International Centre is hosting doughnuts and coffee in the T. K. Lau Global Lounge (541 UMSU Centre)

• Develop good habits. Connect with UM’s Coordinator of Student Health and Wellness Education to discuss health and wellness topics such as stress management or other ideas for healthier living. The Healthy U website also has multiple resources you can access at any time. 
• Take short breaks regularly. Get up, move, stretch, give your mind a rest, stare at the wall or at something far away to rest your eyes. Essentially, give your body and your mind a rest so you can come back to studying refreshed.
• Make time for things that bring you joy and help you relax. Enjoy a hobby, spend time in nature, tidy up your space or connect with friends and family.
• Celebrate all of your wins: Prepping for finals and finishing your course load can be a long journey. Waiting until the result of your exam or last class is certainly worth celebrating, but so is all of the work you are accomplishing along the way. Attending class, learning a challenging concept, or getting through your most recent study session are all your wins as well. Celebrate yourself as you go, you deserve it.

Nova Martin, Student Writer, Student Affairs