Sacramento City College’s Tutorial Services Coordinator Liz Stevenson presented a PowerPoint presentation about preparing for finals for students on Dec. 1.
In Stevenson’s PowerPoint presentation, she talked about different strategies students can use as they prepare to study for their finals. The strategies she talked about include studying two to three weeks before the exam, having a study group and staying motivated.
“As students sit down and study for their exams, it’s definitely good to have a plan or a to-do list,” said Instructional Assistant Stephanie Cortez. “It’s just something there to think about all the things you will need, so you won’t forget anything.”
Stevenson recommended students to form a study group or attend tutoring. Stevenson said being able to study with someone else is powerful, and lets you know you aren’t alone.
“If you’re talking with somebody else, you’re processing that information differently than if you’re just sitting inside your head,” said Stevenson. “Tutoring helps not just the person that’s being tutored, but the person who’s doing the tutoring gets better grades as well.”
Stevenson said another way students can learn to prepare for an exam is to be realistic about the amount of sleep you get.
“If you’re only getting five or six hours a night, day after day, you’re not just messing up your efficiency during the day, but you’re actually cutting into the time that your brain needs to make memories,” said Stevenson. “People who get more sleep are actually going to retain information better and do better.”
Teresa Duran, a 21-year-old food and nutrition major, said the information Stevenson presented was intriguing.
“It’s a workshop for those who need more understanding and get established more in this topic of being able to be prepared for a final in any course subject whether that be chemistry, astrophysics, English,” said Duran. “It grounds that idea of being prepared enough and know that you’re prepared for a final.”
Stevenson said having a mantra, a spiritual meditation you tell yourself from a repetitive basis, helps you stay motivated and confident before taking an exam.
“It’s important to not let the exam be the end of the experience and to say ‘I’m not as prepared as I want to be on this exam, next time I’m going to do better,’” said Stevenson. “It does improve your attitude over time.”
Stevenson said these strategies are important for students because these are the tools they need to succeed.
“A lot of our students are the first person in their family to go to college and they don’t have that generational help that they need so that’s where we come in just filling in the gaps,” said Stevenson. “They’re smart, they’re capable, they just haven’t been given all the information they need and none of us do it alone.”