Cold sweats, loss of appetite, 4 a.m. trips to Taco Bell -- it must be time for exams. Don't sweat it, midterms and finals don't have to send you into a frenzied panic. By using common sense and campus resources, you can successfully manage these stressful, busy times.
The first obstacle to overcome: Procrastination. Tuning into academics somewhere around Thanksgiving break is too late. Gretchen Marcus, the director of Goucher College's Academic Center for Excellence says, "My general advice to students is to study ... from the first day of class. That means attending all sessions, engaging in the material and handing in assignments ... and other materials on a regular basis." Don't try to cram a semester's worth of material into a few days, or even weeks.
As you create a schedule for the semester, pay attention to your personal habits. Do you study best alone or in groups? Do you work better under pressure or well in advance of deadlines? Do you need the quiet of the library or can you study in your dorm room -- even if a touch football game breaks out in the hallway?
While some of these questions may be easily answered, many area colleges provide tools to help students assess their study skills and needs. Towson University's Tutorial Services Center offers the Computer Assisted Study Skills Assessment Information (CASSI) test that asks students questions and provides tips based on their various study skills. Other schools, including Loyola College, the University of Maryland and Goucher College, lead workshops on study skills.
The academic centers are a primary resource during midterms and finals. Each school provides slightly different programming, usually a combination of one-on-one tutoring and small group workshops with topics like time management, test-taking and note-taking skills.
To find out more about what certain schools offer, visit your academic center and ask questions or pick up their various flyers. Many schools provide online descriptions of services. Check out Goucher's Academic Center for Excellence, Loyola's Center for Academic Services and Support (a.k.a. "The Study"), Morgan State's Academic Enrichment Program, Towson University's Tutorial Services Center and the University of Maryland's Learning Assistance Service.
If you're preparing for midterms or finals in classes in which you are struggling or confused, it may be time to seek out more personal help. As Morgan State's Web site for the Academic Enrichment Program says, "It doesn't hurt to ask a tutor; it only hurts to fail a class." A tutor may be able to offer insight that is difficult to grasp in a large lecture hall.
Colleges make tutoring programs very accessible. Morgan State offers tutorial sessions in its dormitories. Both Towson and the University of Maryland have forms online for tutorial requests.
One thing to keep in mind about tutors: Just like any other study tool, they are usually going to be the most helpful in the early stages of a class. Also, the University of Maryland's Web site warns that available tutors become scarce the closer it gets to finals.
Great test-taking skills don't always prepare a student for crunch time. Many humanities classes require papers, rather than giving a test. Hence, writing skills are also very important.
Several strategies can make writing easier. First, procrastination can prove deadly when trying to write long papers. Though tales of all-nighters are the academic equivalent of war stories, staying up all night rarely produces quality work. What seems like genius at 4 a.m. is unlikely to retain its luster the next day.
Start early. And, when you're ready to bounce ideas or a draft off someone else, check out your campus Writing Center. Most area schools offer one-on-one peer advisement at all stages of the writing process, from honing a thesis statement to proofreading for grammar.
In addition to taking care of your mental well being, don't forget to take care of your physical well being. Maintaining an exercise schedule, getting enough sleep and watching what you eat helps you focus, concentrate and absorb information. Chips and candy bars are not brain food.
When all the preparation is done, don't forget to relax. The online guide to managing stress at the About Mental Health Web site recommends arriving early for exams -- leaving yourself ample time between the alarm clock buzz and test time -- and proceeding through the test calmly, one question at a time.
Remember to start early and use the resources available to you, and you'll finish well.
The first obstacle to overcome: Procrastination. Tuning into academics somewhere around Thanksgiving break is too late. Gretchen Marcus, the director of Goucher College's Academic Center for Excellence says, "My general advice to students is to study ... from the first day of class. That means attending all sessions, engaging in the material and handing in assignments ... and other materials on a regular basis." Don't try to cram a semester's worth of material into a few days, or even weeks.
As you create a schedule for the semester, pay attention to your personal habits. Do you study best alone or in groups? Do you work better under pressure or well in advance of deadlines? Do you need the quiet of the library or can you study in your dorm room -- even if a touch football game breaks out in the hallway?
While some of these questions may be easily answered, many area colleges provide tools to help students assess their study skills and needs. Towson University's Tutorial Services Center offers the Computer Assisted Study Skills Assessment Information (CASSI) test that asks students questions and provides tips based on their various study skills. Other schools, including Loyola College, the University of Maryland and Goucher College, lead workshops on study skills.
The academic centers are a primary resource during midterms and finals. Each school provides slightly different programming, usually a combination of one-on-one tutoring and small group workshops with topics like time management, test-taking and note-taking skills.
To find out more about what certain schools offer, visit your academic center and ask questions or pick up their various flyers. Many schools provide online descriptions of services. Check out Goucher's Academic Center for Excellence, Loyola's Center for Academic Services and Support (a.k.a. "The Study"), Morgan State's Academic Enrichment Program, Towson University's Tutorial Services Center and the University of Maryland's Learning Assistance Service.
If you're preparing for midterms or finals in classes in which you are struggling or confused, it may be time to seek out more personal help. As Morgan State's Web site for the Academic Enrichment Program says, "It doesn't hurt to ask a tutor; it only hurts to fail a class." A tutor may be able to offer insight that is difficult to grasp in a large lecture hall.
Colleges make tutoring programs very accessible. Morgan State offers tutorial sessions in its dormitories. Both Towson and the University of Maryland have forms online for tutorial requests.
One thing to keep in mind about tutors: Just like any other study tool, they are usually going to be the most helpful in the early stages of a class. Also, the University of Maryland's Web site warns that available tutors become scarce the closer it gets to finals.
Great test-taking skills don't always prepare a student for crunch time. Many humanities classes require papers, rather than giving a test. Hence, writing skills are also very important.
Several strategies can make writing easier. First, procrastination can prove deadly when trying to write long papers. Though tales of all-nighters are the academic equivalent of war stories, staying up all night rarely produces quality work. What seems like genius at 4 a.m. is unlikely to retain its luster the next day.
Start early. And, when you're ready to bounce ideas or a draft off someone else, check out your campus Writing Center. Most area schools offer one-on-one peer advisement at all stages of the writing process, from honing a thesis statement to proofreading for grammar.
In addition to taking care of your mental well being, don't forget to take care of your physical well being. Maintaining an exercise schedule, getting enough sleep and watching what you eat helps you focus, concentrate and absorb information. Chips and candy bars are not brain food.
When all the preparation is done, don't forget to relax. The online guide to managing stress at the About Mental Health Web site recommends arriving early for exams -- leaving yourself ample time between the alarm clock buzz and test time -- and proceeding through the test calmly, one question at a time.
Remember to start early and use the resources available to you, and you'll finish well.