Studying and preparing for finals can be a daunting task; however, with these tips and tricks, studying for finals will become less stressful and more successful.

The end-of-semester finals that take place in December are key in deciding the final grade for the first semester, so it is important that all the vital study tools are available for everyone.

Instead of procrastinating and looking up last-minute crash courses, these suggestions can help organize a chaotic mind during finals.

To start, choose a study area that won’t be distracting and clean around it: a focused environment to study is the best option.

Once the study area is prepared and all personal materials are arranged, put on some calming music that won’t be distracting. 

Choosing the Pomodoro method can help students stay organized and also motivated because of the scheduled breaks.

The Pomodoro method is time-management-based, using 25-minute work intervals separated by short 5-minute breaks.

Next, setting up a reward system is one of the most fun ways to study because when finishing an assignment or essay, a fun little treat can be waiting to lighten the mood.

Now, for the actual study portion, creating visual maps and guides of notes, quizzes, or lessons can help to actively see progress so far learned or which areas need reviewing.

The active recall method may be confusing for some, but it is very simple once broken down. 

This method may be different for everyone, but the common practices are flashcards with questions on one side and answers on the other.

 Then the other method is blurting or free recall, which is writing down everything memorized for a topic after closing the book.

Getting fun colored highlighters or Post-it notes will help with memorizing key terms or definitions.

These tips and tricks will help during the trying times, which are finals, and also throughout the school year, setting students up for success and good grades.