Study Hacks

With winter break just around the corner, we can almost smell the holiday treats that are waiting for us!  While being in the home stretch is an amazing feeling, with that comes the most dreadful time of year- FINALS.  Here are some study hacks that will help you ace your exams:

1.        JAZZ UP YOUR NOTES

This may sound silly, but highlighting/color coding your notes can be all it takes to make studying a little bit easier.  I love to highlight my notes in different colors!  This helps me keep things organized (not to mention it makes my notes prettier).

2.       DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE NIGHT BEFORE TO STUDY

Cramming for a test is one of the worst things you can do!  Even researchers have found that waiting until the night before to study will not benefit you as much- it’s called Cognitive Overload.  Make sure you pace yourself and do a little bit at a time.  The end result will be beautiful!

3.       FIND AN OUTLET

I get it- we are in graduate school; we barely have time to take a break!  But, it is important to give your mind and body a chance to decompress for a little bit each day.  I have found that going to the gym for even just a half hour a day makes all the difference in the world.  After a good workout, I am ready and more focused to pound the pavements with my studying!

4.       MAKE ACRONYMS

This is by far one of my best study hacks this semester.  In my classes, we have lots of definitions thrown at us at once.  It can be a lot to handle!  I’ve learned that by coming up with creative acronyms, the terms stick better in my brain!  And the best part is, they don’t need to make sense!  As long as it helps you remember the information, that’s all that matters.

5.       FORM STUDY GROUPS

Study groups can also be helpful when preparing for an exam.   When you work with your peers, you all bring different bits of information together.  You may not understand a specific concept, but maybe one of your classmates does!  Remember that we are all in this together, so we might as well help each other out.  Team work makes the dream work!

6.       LISTEN TO MUSIC WHEN YOU STUDY

I used to never be able to study with music on in the background (I would usually end up getting distracted and start to sing along to it).  My friend told me to try listening to instrumental music instead, and let me tell you- it is amazing!  I am much more productive with a little bit of tunes in the background now.  Check out Pandora’s instrumental stations and I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Hopefully these tips will make finals not as tough this semester!  Only two weeks left, we got this! 


-Laura :) 

Summer Time

Now that all the finals, papers, and projects are complete, it is time for summer!  Summer is a great time to relax, unwind, spend time with family, and maybe even do some traveling.  Whether you enjoy laying out on the beach, hiking up the mountains, or even taking a road trip to see America, it’s important to take the time to make some memories.  Along with enjoying yourself, it is important to remember your studies and try and gain work experience when you can.  That may involve getting an internship in your field or working part time for a company to gain some hands on experience you can use when you graduate.  If you are like me, you’re going to be taking some summer classes so you can get to the graduation finish line quicker.  Whatever you choose to do make sure you be safe and I will see you next semester!

-Eric 

End Of The Semester

I just submitted my last paper so I finished my first semester of Graduate School and I could not be happier to be back!  This semester was definitely one of the toughest couple of months I’ve encountered, but now that it is over I feel a sense of pride and relief.  It took a lot of adjusting coming back to school after three years because I was not use to the academic grind.  The struggle came with juggling my studies, Graduate Assistantship, other jobs, and family.  Now that I have one semester under my belt I will be better prepared going forward. I feel like I have learned a great deal these past couple months, which has allowed me to grow both academically and personally.  No rest for the weary though, now on to summer classes!

-Eric

Finals Week

Finals week is upon us and it is time to rise to the occasion!  I know every graduate student has some type of enormous final, massive research paper, or gigantic project they must complete. It’s important to remember to pace yourself and take breaks when necessary.  A stretched mind is not a productive mind so even though it may seem counterproductive to take a break, it can actually help more than you think.  Coffee and candy are your best friend this time of year because the caffeine and sugar will keep you going!  Good luck everyone, you can do it!

Here are some cute puppies to help you relax!

     

  

  - Eric