By Lauren Higgins

For many college students across the nation, finals week is a time filled with stress, anxiety and tension. But with proper routine and tactics, preparing for finals week can feel a little less intimidating. 

Over the last few semesters, SUNY Brockport sophomores and twins Allyson and Kaylie Isereau have found what study strategies work best for them. 

“When it comes to studying, the first thing I usually do is make a list of all the major topics I want to go over, and then I star the ones I feel less comfortable with and focus on those first,” Allyson said.

Compared to her sister, Kaylie tends to begin studying a bit differently. 

“So what I first like to do is rewrite what I learned in class. I rewrite my notes to familiarize myself with the information instead of jumping right into studying and feeling overwhelmed,” Kaylie said. “So, I will rewrite the notes I did for each day, and then I will write down five important topics from each chapter to review.” 

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), rewriting and organizing your notes is another way of testing yourself. It gives you time to fill in information you may have missed in class and correct things that don’t make sense. 

Compared to regular semester exams, Allyson says she navigates studying for finals week a little bit differently.

“Usually, when finals come along, I’ll write out a schedule and give myself time slots for certain subjects. Then, I’ll write my hours out to make sure I get all of my studying done that I need for each class,” Allyson said. 

Psychologists from the APA say it is essential to create a study schedule. They say cramming all of your studying in at once can give you a misplaced sense of confidence. Since the information hasn’t been organized in your memory and connected to what you already know, it may be hard to remember it later during the exam. 

According to Vaughn College, one of the most critical aspects of studying is location. Both Allyson and Kaylie say they cannot study in their dorm rooms because they are easily distracted. 

“I like to go to the library in the study rooms and use the whiteboards. I also go to the Delta lounge or even to Grinds Café on West Ave. My room is too small, and I get easily sidetracked,” Kaylie said. 

Allyson says she also prefers studying outside of her dorm room.

“When I study, I like to get away from the dorm. My room is my place to relax and chill out. If I have to, I will study at my desk late at night when the library is closed. Other than that, I am usually either at the library, Delta lounge, or the Academic Success Center,” Allyson said. 

While the library is where many students go to study, their dorm rooms are where they go to relax. 

Brockport sophomore Hailey Mitchell says her dorm is where she likes to hang out. 

“In order to relax, I like to read, listen to music and watch Netflix. Some shows I have been watching lately are Sex Education and The Vampire Diaries. I also just finished reading the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas,” Mitchell said. 

According to Beaumont Health, stress can destroy your health – including your heart health. Reducing stress by relaxing is one way to help prevent this from happening.

There are various ways to relax, including:

• meditating
• listening to music
• going for a hike
• writing
• hanging out with friends
• taking a nap
• reading

As finals week approaches, the stress, anxiety and tension will be here to stay for many college students until the end of the semester.