It has now been about eleven weeks since I set three goals to accomplish by the end of the semester. Speaking of the end of the semester, it’s here already! The last day of classes is in one week, followed by two days of final exams depending on the teacher and course. This means that this is the last update concerning the progress in accomplishing my goals. It’s hard to believe that the semester is basically over already, but the time definitely didn’t go unused. Not only have I been balancing schoolwork and my responsibilities outside of school, but I’ve been working towards accomplishing the goals that I set out for myself.
It has never been more important to implement my goal of studying than it is now. This is because the end of the semester brings finals along with it. I will have to implement all of my progress from the rest of the semester in order to get the best results possible on my finals. This means that I will have to review my notes, use the flash cards that I made, and try to get any work done ahead of time so that I’m not pressured when it is time to study. Based on my past discoveries, getting plenty of sleep will help me to prepare for finals, because it will leave my mind fresh and willing to study. Another thing that I’ve noticed helps to keep me more focused is to plan out my meals, because then I know when and what I’ll eat, so that I don’t get distracted by my hunger. It is more important to finish strong, now more than ever. I have completed the majority of my workload for my classes, but only finals in some of them remain and I have to guard against complacency. I can already feel the rush to get to the end of the semester, but I have to just try to take it slow and make sure that I do what I need to do.
I guess you could say that one good aspect of the end of the semester is the fact that it forces the students to come together. Students are now frequently asking each other for help, whether it be studying homework, or simply asking when assignments are due. This has made it a lot easier to reach out and open up to people. For once, people seem to be approaching me asking for help and asking when assignments are due. Honestly, it’s a good feeling because I don’t have to make as much of an effort, but the results are the same. I feel like what I have done throughout the semester is paying off. By working hard, showing that I know the material in the classes, and reaching out to people throughout the semester, I have shown people that I can be a pretty good source for help. Most students can use all the help they can get during finals week, myself included.
Clearing my mind of negative thoughts and focusing on the positive will also be key for me as the semester winds down. I think it can be pretty easy to become overwhelmed at the end of the semester, because even when you finish your work, you still always have finals looming in the back of your mind. I think I’ll just have to take the approach of dealing with one day at a time in order to maintain my focus. If I just live in the moment, my mind will be less stressed, which in turn makes a more productive mind. I think that my daily workouts will continue to be a source of relief and refocusing, because they are truly the only part of the day where I’m not thinking about anything else other than the task at hand. I’ve also been trying a few other little tricks such as playing calming music (including Christmas music) in order to keep myself calm and relaxed throughout the day. My roommate and I have even strung up some Christmas lights in our room. We now almost always leave the lights off, except for the Christmas lights, which leave the perfect amount of lighting in the room. The room is definitely darker, but I think it is definitely more calming; so calming in fact, that I have utilized it to help catch up any sleep when I feel tired or groggy.
I’ve actually found a blog where a student gives tips for getting through finals week. I think the blog really appeals to me because it is from the student’s point of view rather than from a teacher’s point of view. Nobody knows what students are growing through more than other students. One of the points that the author mentions is that you should set a reward aside for yourself for when you’re done studying or working on an assignment. I can relate to this because I often do the same, by working before lunch and then using lunch as my reward for the work I’ve done. It is also comforting to know that once I’m done with finals, I can go home and relax, and then I get to enjoy Christmas. I know for a fact that Christmas will be great this year, because I’ve ordered P90X2 and I got a call from home the other day asking if I was expecting any big boxes from that particular company. That call made my day and now gives me something to work towards, which will help ensure that I finish the semester strong.
Here is the blog I mentioned: http://ecampusblog.com/2010/11/tips-keeping-focused-finals-week/
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