FINISH STRONG!

As the year draws to a close, so do our eyelids. It has been a long year and as we think of the exams that stretch ahead, we cannot help but take an even deeper breath. But do not fret, here are a few tips on how to make the most of the little time we have left.

1. Keep track of all your deadlines:

There is nothing worse than pressing on and finishing an assignment or studying for an exam, only to find out it is not the one that is due. Make sure you have the correct dates and times in order to ensure you work efficiently and effectively.

2. Do the work:

While this seems pretty obvious, the student brain at times confounds common rationality. We will be conscious of the looming deadline or exam, but somehow file the urgency to complete the task somewhere in the back of our minds; only to discover it at a later point. It’s harder than it sounds, but just sit down and do the work (You can celebrate with some gummy bears afterwards!).

3. Make every minute count:

Once at the table with a book or laptop open, hours can be wasted doodling or surfing the web. If you find that you’re easily distracted there is a technique that you can use called the Pomodoro Technique.

Firstly, decide whether you want to work in 30 or 45 minute intervals and set a timer for that period. Once the timer has been set, you can begin working. You cannot abandon the task and you must keep working until the timer hits zero. If there is in fact a distraction, note it on the corner of the page and continue working. After the timer has finished you are free to take a 15 to 30 minute break.

Working in intervals will greatly increase your efficiency as you will start to realise how much can be done in 30 or 45 minutes – and how much focus a set time limit lends you.