Finals are right around the corner at Kent State, taking place May 5-11. As students near the end of the semester, finals can cause stress and difficulties.

“32% of students experience even greater levels of stress in times surrounding final exams, as indicated through psychological and physiological markers,” according to the National Library of Medicine. 

Sam Timar, a sophomore nursing major, has already started her finals preparations weeks in advance.

“I typically spend about two to three hours a day during the week studying,” Timar said. “But with finals coming up, it’s more like four hours a day, equalling almost 30 hours a week.” 

Kent State offers many resources, such as apps and events for students to use or attend during finals week. 

Along with those resources, students and faculty who are familiar with finals week have tips and tricks to help students succeed.

Don’t cram 

Katie Finch, an academic coaching coordinator, said the most common finals mistake is cramming for exams.

Cramming can occur due to being focused on other exams or procrastinating, she said. This results in the information not being retained.

“To avoid cramming for one exam because of focusing on another, plan out when you will study for each course and for how long,” Finch said. “Once you have this plan, stick to it. Plan out times for sleeping and personal time to keep your motivation up.”

Timar said she failed a course because she waited too long to begin studying for her final exam.

“Take it day by day and study a little bit at a time,” Timar said. “If you try to cram like I did last year, you are going to fail your exam. There’s just no way you will be able to retain all the information and feel good about taking that exam.” 

Spaced studying relates directly to procrastination and cramming, Finch said.

“Create a plan for when you study and don’t forget to base your plan around when you are most productive,” she said. “Consider studying in increments and then taking a short break. During your break, get up and move around to give your mind a moment to reset.” 

Don’t multitask 

Multitasking is not always a great trait, according to a Harvard Business Review. 

“Doing several things at once is a trick we play on ourselves, thinking we are getting more done,” according to the Harvard Business Review. “In reality, our productivity goes down by as much as 40%.”

When there are multiple exams, students either want to multitask or procrastinate due to the stress of finals, according to Harvard Business Review.

It is easy to procrastinate when students are overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, Finch said. 

“Schedule and prioritize when you will focus on which class,” she said. “After you know when each final will be, prioritize which classes will have exams sooner and those that are harder and you feel like you will need more time to study for. We recommend planning multiple study sessions for each final.”

Timar’s biggest tip for maintaining focus while studying is to choose the right location.

“For finals, I go somewhere that can help me focus, such as the library, or now that it’s getting nice outside, I’ll sit outside to study,” she said.

To provide a stress-free studying opportunity, the Academic Success Center is putting on an event during finals week, “Study and Stress-Free Tables.”

For the study portion, the space offers flexibility for group and individual studying needs. Earbuds will be provided for individuals wanting to block out distractions.

Whiteboards, paper and writing utensils will also be supplied. 

For the stress-free portion, snacks will be provided, as well as coloring supplies, bubbles and bean bag chairs.

The event is taking place during finals weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Center for Undergraduate Excellence, Suite 114. 

Prepare for stress 

The university has many resources available for Kent State students, such as apps to assist with anxiety and stress relief. The list includes Calm, Daylio Journal, Gratitude and a few other apps and books.

Timar’s best tip for stress relief with finals coming up is getting active.

“The gym is the place to destress and take all the weight of studying off and decompress,” Timar said. “When I come back from the gym, I’m able to be more productive studying for the rest of the night.”

To crush your finals, the university suggests avoiding multitasking, trying different study methods, eating healthy and staying hydrated, making time for fun and getting enough rest and sleep.

To relieve stress during finals, the university suggests making comfort food, blocking out time to relax, listening to music, taking a walk, screaming into a pillow and putting a favorite movie or show on in the background while studying.

With her new studying and stress relief techniques, Timar is retaking a class with a much better grade this semester. 

“Taking lots of time to prepare for finals and exams is what has helped me a lot,” she said. “I currently have an A in that class that I failed. People may think you are crazy for studying two weeks in advance, but it pays off.”

Robyn Taylor is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].