Stress, cram, exam, repeat… but wait, it doesn’t have to be like that!
Make this exam period a success with supports from the UM community
Well folks, it’s that time of year again – final exam time. The final exam period runs December 10 – 20, 2024 so don’t forget to check the final exam schedule and find out when and where your exams are. You can also review these six easy ‘Exam basics’ tips to ensure your ready to write on exam day.
If you are feeling stressed, know that you are not alone – the University of Manitoba offers numerous services to help you alleviate that stress and succeed this exam period, from both an academic and wellness perspective.
When it comes to preparing for your finals, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to start your preparation now (if you haven’t already). Cramming may be a fun word, but it is a much less fun activity! Spreading out your study time and reviewing regularly help to make sure you have truly learnt and understood the information and gives you time to tackle more difficult concepts (especially when time is needed to find some help!).
Creating a study schedule (and sticking to it!) can be a helpful way to keep on track and minimize stress. When doing this, gather up all the material you need to know for all of your courses and think – what final assignments do you have, when are your exams, and what courses are you feeling more or less prepared for? In your study schedule, prioritize the courses, or information, that you are finding the most difficult – it is still important to review the information you are more comfortable with to make sure that you really know it, but, when time is limited, focusing on the less familiar pieces will generally set you up for the most success across your courses.
Staying accountable to a schedule can be difficult, particularly when we feel overwhelmed. Studying with others can help you stay on schedule, feel supported and can help provide a way to clarify or work through things you might be struggling with.
With or without study buddies, finding a study strategy that works for you is key not just for this exam period, but for the future as well. Just re-reading your notes over and over is not very effective for most people – you may want to try something like flash cards, mind maps, study guides or visual representations. Another great option is doing practice questions. To be most effective, practice questions should follow the same format as the exam – so if you are making up your own, keep that in mind. Not only does working through practice questions help you identify what you do and don’t know, studying in ways similar to how you are tested often makes the exam less stressful (which improves our ability to recall the information we need) – you might even consider setting a timer when doing practice questions and tests to mimic the exam situation more closely.
Not sure where to start or just need some advice for how to most effectively study? The Academic Learning Centre (ALC) and UM libraries offer a variety of workshops, one-to-one appointments and other resources to help you have a strong finish to the semester. You can book an appointment with a content or study skills tutor, attend a Supplemental Instruction session or participate in a workshop. You can also, of course, contact your instructor or teaching assistant with questions – this is best done well before the exam to make sure they have time to respond and that you have time to use the response.
Though staying on top of your studies is important at this time of year, it is also critical to take care of yourself – mentally and physically. If you are in need of some support, consider reaching out to the Student Wellness Centre, an academic advisor, or the Student Counselling Centre. If you are looking for other ways to help de-stress, consider attending a group fitness class, finding a fun outdoor activity, or taking some time for a hobby.
Best of luck!