For students, the holidays bring a welcome vacation from school - but only after they survive finals.
Getting through finals can test any student's endurance and sanity. However, BYU offers many strategies to help survive finals week.
The Career and Learning Information Center is one of these lifesavers in preparation for finals.
The CLIC offers workshops to help students with a variety of topics including test-taking strategies, understanding stress, managing anxiety and time management.
CLIC consultant and BYU student, Scott Nelson, 23, said CLIC is the best-kept secret on BYU campus.
"There's a lot of help and it's all free," Nelson, said. "It's pretty accessible to everyone's schedule and [workshops] only take about 30 minutes."
The CLIC also provides a test-taking strategy handout, which teaches students how to make an educated guess if they get stumped on a question.
"We try to help people basically learn how to take a test intelligently and effectively," said Nathan Walch who also works at CLIC. "You won't know all the answers unless you're a genius. There will be one or two [questions] you get stumped on. And for some, probably more."
Other students offer advice for de-stressing and staying collected during finals.
Travis Laird, a third year law student at J. Reuben Clark Law School, said he's been tackling finals for a while and found pulling all-nighters is not the way to go.
"I think the most important thing is to get enough sleep during finals," Laird said. "It's better for me to go to sleep and get my seven or eight hours of sleep, then get up and study hard during the time I have."
Besides getting enough rest, Laird said exercise plays a crucial role in handling finals. He goes to the gym or runs every day because it's his biggest stress reliever. However, since he takes time to relax he has to prepare for his final more than just a day in advance.
"That's the hardest part, just taking the time to study," he said. "You have to relax and just go do it."
Ryan Howes, 23, a political science major experiences burn out like many other students, but said running is his way to calm down and clear his mind.
"Running is my only real stress relief," Howes said. "If I start breaking down early, I go running. If I feel like I can make it through the night, I keep on pushing. I don't think I'd make it if I didn't run everyday."
Another way students prepare for finals is to cram. This popular study method isn't as effective as long-term learning, but can be useful if it's carried out correctly.
Walch said they encourage students to study, but in extreme circumstances, students can come in to the CLIC and receive tips about the best way to cram for a test.
"Sometimes it happens," Walch said. "We don't endorse [cramming] because it's not actual learning but if you have to, we teach you the most effective way to do it. We try to give people as much of an edge as possible."
Ben Layne, one of the LSAT instructors for BYU and Law Library Assistant said cramming and studying for hours isn't as effective as people might think.
"It usually takes people about ten minutes to warm up, and then they have about 40 solid minutes of studying," Layne said. "Then [concentration] starts to decline. Of course that varies for individuals. Some people think they're really going to hit the books hard and they sit for six hours. Then they're so exhausted that they despise studying."
Layne said the solution is to study in three segments, each about an hour long. In between each segment students should take a long-term break for an hour or two. After that, students can then come back and study with a refreshed mind.
As a last suggestion, Layne said students should give themselves a little incentive or reward for studying hard.
"Putting a carrot out there is a great way to get things done," he said. "You have to have something to look forward to."
If students don't do well on their finals despite study tips they might have received, Nelson offered a light-hearted, worst-case scenario to help keep students optimistic.
"If all else fails, come on in and look at the books and we'll find you a new major," Nelson said. "We'll help you find something you can succeed in."
-----Side bar ----- test taking tips
Tips for taking finals
* Study, don't cram
* If you have to cram, don't do it all the way to the testing center **
* Go through the teacher's study guide
* If the teacher doesn't give you a study guide, make your own **
* Go to TA review sessions
* Answering multiple-choice questions: A multiple-choice question is probably true if there's longer, more descriptive information. **
* Answering true or false questions: the answer is probably false if the teacher states the reason in a cause and effect format; because they are trying to get the student to believe the reason they are giving. **
* Do something unrelated to the test right before you take it. (i.e. talk on the phone, listen to music, watch TV - anything to relax)
* Use mnemonic devices to remember concepts, lists or systems
* Study in hour long segments, taking one to two hour breaks in between
* Invent stories surrounding concepts and link them to physical objects - the more outrageous the story, the better
* Get enough sleep, don't pull all-nighters
* Exercise
* Give yourself rewards for accomplishing study tasks
* The Stress Management Lab (formerly the biofeedback lab) can assist you in learning how to deal with stress (located in 1586 WSC) **
* Stay calm and relaxed - Don't freak out
* Be sure and say your prayers
** Indicates things the Career and Learning Information Center can assist students with.
The CLIC is located at 2590 WSC and is open Monday and Friday 8a.m. to 5p.m. and Tuesday thru Thursday 8a.m. to 6p.m.
Copyright Brigham Young University 3 Dec 2004
