Welcome back Cougs! I hope that your break went well, whether you spent it with family and friends back home or in Pullman.
Unfortunately, everyone’s least favorite time of year is coming up rather quickly. Within the next few weeks, the semester will reach its close whether you are ready for it or not. Now, this is not the time to panic, if you are like me and were not able to study as much as you wanted, or could not finish some remaining assignments, now is the time to make an action plan for the next few weeks.
Figure out your Finals
If you haven’t already, this would be a good time to figure out when your finals are. This information may be listed in the class syllabus, but if not, you can find your schedule in your myWSU. To do this, go to myWSU > Manage Classes > View My Exam Schedule. While looking at the weekly calendar view, the “View My Exam Schedule” should be located in between “Refresh Calendar” and “Weekly Schedule”.
If for whatever reason that is not working, you can go to this website, click on “Fall 2023” and then find your individual classes in one of the timetable options.
In addition, you can also ask your professor. Especially if there is conflicting information on the syllabus versus the myWSU schedule. As another note, while looking at your myWSU, there may be a listed final time in a class that you have been told that there is no final in. All 1-3 credit classes are allocated a 2-hour time block and all 4+ credit classes are allocated a 2 hours and 50 minutes time block during finals week, whether your professor is giving an exam or not.
Dedicate Study Time
It may be overwhelming to think about all you have to do leading up to finals, but now is the best time to make an action plan and prevent last minute cramming so you are feeling ready and prepared for your exams this semester.
Take a couple of minutes to find good times in your schedule to dedicate to studying. You could also figure out what you will be studying at these times. This could include study guides that you or your professor created, reviewing notes and lecture slides, testing yourself using flash cards, or even just going back and finally figuring out that one topic that you just could never quite get.
Find a Place to Study
Your ideal study set up is going to be unique to you, so if you have not had the chance to find the best spot for you, this would be a great opportunity
If you are someone who wants to be on campus to study, you can go to this website to find out which libraries have study spaces, and then follow those respective links to book your own study space in one of the libraries.
In addition, the ASCC has study tables where you can sit and work on any last assignments or meet with a tutor to help answer those questions that arise while studying. Speaking of tutors, if you are looking to meet with a tutor before finals arrive, you can go to this website to find a tutor for your subject of choice.
Of course, there are plenty of other spaces on campus or off campus you can choose from, but the important part is finding a spot where you are going to be able to study with minimal distractions or motivates you to study.
Take Breaks
Of course, due to the stressful environment of the final season, the last thing you want to happen is to burnout right before the finish line. Please remember to take some time for yourself, while also being mindful of how much time you are spending on your activities.
There are plenty of events still being hosted in the next few weeks that you can check out on the WSU Presence website if you want a chance to socialize or stretch your legs in between study sessions and classes.
While this is one of the most stressful times of the semester, remember to take some deep breaths and remind yourself that you will get through this. Good luck and happy studying Cougs!!!
