With finals exams quickly approaching, it’s time to start the strenuous process of studying. If preparing for finals wasn’t already stressful enough, now we have to do it in quarantine. Among all the craziness of the pandemic and the lack of structure with remote learning, it wouldn’t be surprising if you’ve struggled to keep up with coursework over the past couple months. Hopefully these tips will help you catch up on material and take these quarantine finals in stride!

Start preparing early.

This isn’t anything new, but it’s especially important right now. You might not have been paying as close attention in Zoom lectures as you would have in person, so it’s essential to catch up on anything you might have missed as soon as possible.

Find a quiet place to study and take exams.

Many of us have moved back home and have to deal with noisy parents or siblings. Unfortunately, we can’t spend all day and night on the quiet floor of the Undergraduate Library anymore, so it’s crucial that we either ask our family to keep the volume level to a minimum or find a place where we can’t be bothered during this stressful week. 

Get rid of any distractions.

Not only do you need silence, but you should also eliminate any distractions for an optimal study environment. Do whatever it takes to keep your mind focused on school, even if it means putting your phone in another room or turning off all notifications on your computer. Snapchat and TikTok can wait until after you’ve completed your to-do list.

Create a schedule for studying. 

Without our typical daily structure, we have to make sure that we put in the effort to set aside time to study for each class. To stay on task over this next week, be sure to either make a simple schedule or specifically allot time for everything you need to do in your calendar. 

Persuade yourself to study with rewards. 

I’m sure a lot of us have gotten used to being lazy while social distancing, so reward yourself after completing each task to motivate yourself to get everything done on time. Whether that be watching an episode on Netflix or letting yourself have a donut, it’ll definitely inspire you to get through your studying, especially during this time where motivation is hard to find.

Set alarms for exams. 

If you’re like me, there’s a good chance your sleep schedule has gotten a little messed up since online classes started. Maybe your lectures have been made optional so now you just sleep in until 1 p.m., or maybe you’re going to stay up until 5 a.m. studying. Whatever it is, do not sleep through your exam. Be sure to set multiple alarms so that you are up and ready to take it. 

Make any last-minute exam preparations.

Every course has a different protocol for finals, so inform yourself of them long before your exam time. If you need to sign into a proctoring site or log on to Zoom before the exam starts, do that in advance to account for any technical difficulties. If you’re allowed to use notes, pull up everything you need so you don’t waste time doing that during your final. Inform your family that you’re about to take an exam and ask them not to bother you. Also make sure you won’t be distracted by an uncomfortable seat throughout your exam.

Good luck on finals; you’ve got this!

Cassie is a sophomore in Business.

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