While you may have learned a thing or two about preparing for and taking important tests in high school, your first exam as a college freshman is going to be an entirely different experience. You’re likely to feel more stressed and will need to put in more time and effort into studying – but it doesn’t mean you can’t survive the situation. We’ve compiled five great tips for college freshman that are going into thirst big and important exam. Whether it’s a midterm or a final, we’ve got some great ideas to help you get through it:
Tip 1) Make a Master “Work and Play” Schedule
The weeks leading up to your first big exam will be strenuous and difficult to cope with if you don’t plan accordingly. You may feel the urge to reserve all of your free time for studying – but it’s important that you don’t completely eliminate time the time you have to yourself to partake in the various social activities or rest time you have to keep your stress levels down. Plan your work and playtime days before you start to study in earnest and be sure you stick to the schedule.
Tip 2) Check for Special Deals and Student Discounts
When mid-terms and finals weeks come around a lot of campus programs, as well as off-campus businesses, offer plenty of incentives and freebies to help students deal with stress. Campus programs may offer free tutoring or free meals during certain hours. An off-campus business might offer discounts on things like coffee, laundry, meals, books, and more. This can be really helpful to students on a budget and the joy you feel in getting this stuff can help you de-stress.
Tip 3) Make a List of Your Assignments and Prioritize
During your first semester at college, you may find that different courses will vary in terms of the amount and level of difficulty of the work you receive. When you are studying for your first exam you will need to make a list of all assignments and prioritize them. Writerformypaper.com offers professional writing help from experienced essay writers. You need to carve out ample time to commit to studying for that first exam, but you can’t put your other assignments on the backburner. The organization is key to survival during this period.
Tip 4) Check the Web for Study Guides and Resources
Nowadays, it’s easy to find great study guides and resources on every subject on the web. If you’re somebody who doesn’t like going to the library for this sort of stuff, then a simple web search should bring up hundreds of free guides and resources. You can also check out academic writing and editing sites for short articles and blogs that might be useful in your preparation.
Tip 5) Join a Study Group or Start One of Your Own
One of the best ways to reinforce your classroom lessons and keep earning good grades throughout your time in college is to join a study group. You can check with your classmates to see if there are any groups that already meet regularly. If not, you can start one of your own. It’s recommended, however, that you keep your groups to a manageable size that won’t be detrimental to the amount of time you have to work each week.
By incorporating these tips into your routine, you can be better prepared to handle your first college exam no matter what the subject. That first exam can sneak up on you pretty quickly in the semester, so be sure you take a close look at your syllabi and plan accordingly. Once you tackle your first assignment, it will be easier to prepare for the next one, then the one after that, and so forth, until you complete your first year and can reward yourself with a fun summer break… until the start of your sophomore year.
