If you’re a high school or college student, it’s time to make a plan for final exams and end of semester projects. It’s important to be intentional about your end-of-semester plan because it can be easy to go into Thanksgiving Break feeling like there is plenty of time (it is still mid-November!) and then realize that it is very suddenly December as soon as you return to school. Here’s how you can make sure you stay on track and prepared for the end of the semester before it creeps up on you.
If you’re a high school or college student, now is the time to make a plan for upcoming semester final exams and projects. Your exact plan should depend on your final exam and project schedule (which will differ from school to school) as well as the commitments you have outside of school. Some students will benefit from using Thanksgiving break to get ahead. For others, it might be better used as a chance to rest and dive into the final weeks of the semester rejuvenated.
The important thing is to be intentional about your end-of-semester plan. It is easy to go into Thanksgiving Break feeling like it is still mid-November and that there is plenty of time only to realize that it is very suddenly December as soon as you return to school.
A good way to start is to compile a list of everything you will need to prepare for in December, in and out of school: tests, final projects, performances, rehearsals, religious and/or family commitments, etc.
Put anything with scheduled times onto a calendar and then add estimates of how much time you can devote to studying for each test, working on each project, practicing outside of rehearsals, etc. Work backwards from due dates and block out time in your schedule for each thing. This schedule can be flexible as you cannot account for everything, but the more you assign time to studying the more likely you are to actually study. The goal is to get a sense of when you need to start working on things to minimize how overwhelmed you get during the busiest times.
If you struggle with procrastination, consider some kind of accountability system. This could look like making study plans with a friend so that you keep each other on track or breaking down each project or study plan into more manageable tasks, using a checklist to check things off or add stickers as you complete them. It could also involve scheduling check-ins with a parent, teacher, or other trusted adult with whom you share your plan. Making and sticking to plans is a skill in and of itself, and it will take experimentation and practice to find systems that work for you.
If this is something you struggle with, I and many other ESM Prep mentors are skilled in helping students formulate more effective time management and organization habits. Reach out to Client Services as early as possible if support with study habits ahead of final exams would benefit your student.
If there are any classes you have been especially struggling with this fall, it’s good to start preparing for those finals or projects as soon as possible—and a mentor can help make sure you give those challenges the time they deserve. You’ll find your efforts are far more effective (whether you go it alone or work with a mentor) if you pace them out over a few weeks rather than try to cram relearning an entire semester’s worth of material into an hour or two right before the test (which research has shown to be a highly ineffective methodology).
If there is one takeaway we can offer, it’s this: set aside an hour during your Thanksgiving break to follow the process we’ve outlined above and plan out your work in December. That hour will pay you back in time saved, stress relieved, and higher grades.
And, remember, you don’t have to go it alone – whether you need help planning your work or catching up on the material – we’ve got you covered. Get in touch with Client Services today and we’ll have you on the way to finals success in no time!
