LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. 一 It’s that time of year, Griffins! Finals are coming up, and so are your grades. Finals week can be extremely overwhelming, but one thing you don’t want to be stressing about over your winter break is whether you did well or not. Below are study techniques and strategies to do your best and help you pass those finals. 

Studying can get extremely never-wracking – whether it’s because you have no idea what you’re reading, or you can’t focus. Little things make a huge difference in the way you perform academically, such as setting goals for yourself, getting rid of distractions, finding the perfect study location and taking breaks so you don’t overwhelm yourself. Rewarding yourself after any amount of studying is excellent for the mind.

An active strategy is when you engage with the material you are studying. This can look like many things, such as reading out loud to yourself, taking online quizzes, creating and studying with flashcards, having friends quiz you, writing down questions from what you’re studying and making a concept map. These hands-on methods can help you keep the information you’re learning in your brain, without forgetting it 10 minutes later.

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method, invented by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1800s. This method helps prevent burnout by avoiding taking in too much information at once and improving focus. By carving out 25 minutes to study consistently, taking a five-minute break when the timer goes off, repeating four more times, and adding longer breaks, you can manage your time and see your progress.

The Feynman Technique differs slightly from Cirillo’s method, as it is based solely on four steps. This method simplifies reading the material out loud (most say acting like you’re speaking to a toddler helps), identifying its gaps and then revising it until you understand it entirely. Acknowledging what you don’t understand enables you to target your study weakness and refine your explanations so that you feel confident about what you’re learning.

If you’re still feeling stressed after studying, remember to take deep breaths and remind yourself of what you’re capable of–good luck, Griffins!