15B; YOU CAN DO IT

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal.
It is the courage to continue that counts."
- Winston Churchill

When I think about finals I get really anxious, as do most freshmen I can imagine. The first thing I plan to do is take a few deep breaths. From these, I will be able to organize my study material and myself in a calm, cool, and collective manner.

                Throughout the semester, I feel as though I have developed stronger study habits and have been succeeding on my tests because of these. The study skill that works best for me is either having flash cards, or reading my notes out loud. This way I can hear it, say it, and visualize the study material. Also, I like to teach others when they are unsure to know for myself that I am comfortable with the material. To prepare for my finals, I have already gathered all of the study guides from the teacher or blackboard and got a feel for what I am responsible to know on the final exam. For two of my classes, the finals are project based so I have already gotten a really good head start and finished one big paper, one weight lifted off of my shoulders! Through the end of this week and especially this weekend, I will work diligently to organize the study guides in ways that make sense to me, and make flash cards for terms or ideas that I need a refresher on. After this, I will take a few days to just shut off my phone and all distractions and dedicate myself to studying because I would obviously like to finish out the semester with strong exam scores.

                In wrapping up this semester, I will ensure my success by telling myself I can do it. Most of the time when it comes to big tests or projects, I sell myself short and lack confidence. I need to remember how hard I worked all semester to apply myself to my learning and know that I can get through all this stress because it will absolutely be worth it in the end. I know it is cliché, but I just cannot imagine that I am one week away from finishing my first semester in college.

How will you ensure your semester is finished out strong? What are ways you will eliminate the stresses that come with finals?