Professors say students should start preparing for tests early to avoid unnecessary stress during finals week.
Communication & Journalism professor Karma Chavez said students should get ready for finals as early as possible.
"Don't overdo it," she said. "Just focus and prep early. Hopefully, if you've been doing your work all semester, the final will be easier."
Chavez said students sometimes make the mistake of procrastinating.
"Something will go wrong - your computer will crash, or you'll lose your jump drive, or you'll spill coffee on your laptop," she said. "Something always happens last-minute, so if you can be prepared ahead of time, it isn't as stressful."
Junior Aaron Bradley said he doesn't spend much time studying for finals.
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"I try to take good notes throughout the semester and know the stuff already," he said.
Bradley said he looks at the big picture at the start of a semester and tries to continuously prepare throughout the course.
"You never really know what a professor will ask on a final," he said. "It is best to just try to know what is said during every class."
Sophomore Austin Hill said he studies at least four hours per class during finals week.
"I go crazy with highlighters - pink, blue, yellow - I take them to my notes," he said.
Hill said the Center for Academic Program Support is a good resource and can help students focus on what they need to learn.
"I've never been to a CAPS tutor that wasn't helpful," he said.
CAPS coordinator Ellee Cushing-Cruver said the program is open for the rest of the week and until 2:45 p.m. on Friday.
Cushing-Cruver said CAPS also has a tutor to help with general study strategies like effective reading and test-taking, and students can make individual appointments to meet with her.
Chavez said students should use their classmates and other resources to help ease the stress of finals week.
"If you have classmates you trust, always try and divide everything up," she said.
Harry Linneman, director of Counseling and Therapy Services, said students often get stressed because they are unprepared and have to cram for exams.
"We understand students sometimes put everything off to the end, and studying all night is probably their only option," he said. "We also know if you do that, you will not perform very effectively."
Linneman said SHAC hosts sleep workshops, test-anxiety workshops and other services to help students through this stressful time.
"Students are often anxious when it is time to take a test - not because of anxiety conditions, but because they are not preparing well for tests," he said. "The sessions are about encouraging good study habits and accurate memory recall with the material you are trying to learn."
Linneman said being healthy is also an important part of keeping stress levels down.
"We encourage exercise, eating healthy foods and limiting your alcohol," he said.
Tips for Finals:
1) Plan your study time. Study in small increments of about 50 minutes, and take short breaks of about 10 minutes.
2) Do not get distracted and let your breaks go on too long. Eat a banana, step outside for some air, but do not do something that you'll get caught up in, like TV or checking e-mail.
3) Eat well. This applies to the whole week, not just the morning of a final. Eat balanced meals at normal times.
-Tips provided by CAPS
