Everything You Need to Know About Finals Week
September 2, 2024 | Natalie Silk

By: Natalie Silk, senior at Miami University
Exam week is one of the most stressful weeks of the year for college students.
Students might not get enough sleep, not exercise, or eat balanced meals.
The stress of exams weighs heavily on college students each semester. So, to help avoid some of the stress, here are some things to remember and expect during exam week.
Things To Remember
It is important to note that your grades do not make up who you are. Everyone has a bad day or a bad test and it does not reflect who you are as a person or a student. With that in mind, here are some tips to keep your stress levels low during exam week.
Exercise
Don’t let exam week stop you from exercising. Go for a walk around Miami’s beautiful campus or go to Miami’s Rec Center to stay active and healthy.

Breathe
Remember to breathe. It can be that simple. When you feel stressed, take slow, controlled breaths to relieve stress symptoms.
Eat Balanced Meals
Eat a healthy diet during exam week to keep a healthy immune system, and feed your body and brain. This will help you not get sick during exam week.
Sleep
Remember to sleep. Lack of sleep is not worth studying an extra few hours. Lack of sleep can increase stress levels. Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep each night.
Have Fun
Don’t forget to still have fun during this time. Create time to hang out with friends. It is your last week seeing them before break, and it can help with stress relief.

What To Expect
Depending on how many credit hours you are taking and what your major is, you could have up to seven exams. This may seem overwhelming. However, you will not have classes this week, only exams.You will have more time to study than you might think.
If your major is exam heavy and you have a lot of exams during finals – Miami’s Conflicts and Excessive Final Exams policy wants to make sure that no student is overwhelmed by too many finals.
Study Tips
The Rinella Learning Center has great resources to help you prep for finals week.
If you are taking a multiple-choice exam you might want to practice defining terms and explaining the significance of topics that might be covered.
If you have fill-in-the-blank or short-answer questions, practice writing out explanations of the concepts and ideas that might appear.
If you have a short or long essay, you might want to create some potential questions you might see and practice answering those so you know what you already understand and what information you need to refresh.

How-tos
In addition to helping prep you for finals week, Rinella also offers how-tos for studying. Everyone studies differently, so it is important to find what works best for you.
Look at the Big Picture
Maybe looking at the big picture works best for you. When you take all the information you have learned in the semester and connect it all together it can help you recall information that you learned throughout the semester.
Put Material in Your Own Words
Maybe looking at a big picture is overwhelming. Instead, try putting your notes into your own words. You will have a better understanding of the material when you put it into your own words and will have an easier time recalling information for your exam.

Find a Point of Interest
Maybe you don’t want to rewrite all of your notes again. Try finding a point of interest in your materials, instead.
While it’s easy to start daydreaming when a topic may not be your cup of tea, finding golden nuggets of interesting information make it easier for you to understand and remember the material.
Pomodoro Study Method
Maybe sitting down and studying for long periods of time is too much. You might want to try the Pomodoro Study Method.
Set aside all distractions, including your phone.
Set a timer for 25-30 minutes and begin studying until your timer goes off.
Once your timer goes off, take a five minute break. Grab a snack, take a short walk, or just relax during your break.
When the timer goes off, go back to your 25-30 minute study session.
Continue this three times for a total of six study sessions. By the end of your fourth study session take a longer 20-30 minute break. Through this method you can feel more productive and not dread sitting for hours on end with no break.
Study Spaces
In addition to all the study tips, there are numerous places around campus to study.
Of course, you can always study in your dorm room, house, or apartment. However, there are also study rooms in your residence halls, the Armstrong Student Center, the King Library, the multiple Starbucks locations on campus, and the many academic buildings on campus.
If you need complete silence while studying, King Library is a great option. If you need a little bit of noise, the study rooms in Armstrong or Farmer allow for some noise to get through. If you need it to be loud, there are tables throughout Armstrong to sit in the openness of the noise around you.






Crush Your Finals
Now it’s time to go and conquer finals week.
Don’t forget to take care of yourself. Your mental and physical health are more important than your grades or how well you do in school. If you need someone to talk to during this time, Miami offers numerous resources, such as counseling. Do what is right for you and go crush your exams.
[…] major Natalie Silk says she’s most proud of the post she wrote about finals week. “I never really had to study for tests in high school, so that was something I had to learn when […]