conquer finals the Sophisticated way

I like to think of myself as a seasoned student, especially when it comes to finals. I am a pretty bad test taker, so getting as much preparation as possible is crucial for me to do well. In order to prepare, I have tried everything. Here is what works [for me]:

• MAKE LISTS. Seriously. Physically crossing tasks off a list will make you feel 100x better and productive. If you want to really to it the Samantha way, write down a timed schedule next to your list as follow as planned. It will force you to be productive.
• Paint your nails. This sounds petty and dumb, but taking a little mani break will calm you and give you some colorful motivation to continue on. 
• Study in chunks. Study in 20-50 minute increments and take a 5-10 minute break in between. Eat nuts, fruit, and chocolate [in moderation] to keep you focused!
• Listen to Mozart. Yes, I am lame, but it helps. I have a Mozart Spotify playlist specifically for this purpose. It is calming but not enough to put you to sleep. It actually helps, I don't know why. 
• Change up your location! I rotate from my room to my library to my kitchen and it helps me from getting bored or distracted. 
• Study with friends. There is strength in numbers, and it helps to get someone else's perspective or insight to something you may not understand as well. Also, it can result in an impromptu pizza party and who doesn't love that? 
• Take a deep breath. Instead of dwelling on your stress, just calm down and take it slowly. 
• Take a walk. Fresh air does well for the mind, spirit, and body. 
• Build on what you already know. If you already have made flashcards, use them! Go back through old material and try to jog your memory. 
• Make little stories or acronyms to memorize groups of terms. The stranger they are, the easier you will remember them.

Good luck!

xxx

My sister and I made this timed and planned study list for midterms. We both did really well! You can too!