All the pro tips you need to get through finals
By Peter Gagnon
It’s time to buckle down. Freshman; this is your chance to shine. What you may not know is that your parents get a copy of your grades at the end of the semester. So if you’re falling be-hind now, you’ve still got some time to fix those grades you said you’d do better on next time. School isn’t easy, and a wise man once told me nothing worth having comes easily. That being said there are ways to ensure progress in your studies and in just about everything you do here at High Point University. So, without further ado, here are a few tips to help you get through your midterms.
Raise your hand! It can feel awkward at times to gain the courage to raise your hand and ask questions in class, even though we all know no one always knows what is happening throughout the course of any given lecture. The thing many students don’t realize about raising your hand, asking for help, is it saves you time when you go to study. Knowing that you already know the answer to something that puzzled you, or even just having a bit more knowledge will give you the leg up and a com-petitive advantage when your test day arrives.
Office Hours are there for YOU! If you don’t understand something in class, office hours are basically a get out of Jail Free Card. Ever play monopoly? If you haven’t, see a doctor. This card is your lord and savior when it comes to difficult classes. Having a time when you can meet one on one with your professor is great if you don’t like to speak out in class, or you just didn’t have time to ask your question.
4th Floor Smith is your new friend! Smith Library offers free tutors to every student on our campus. Let me repeat that it’s free! It’s a terrific word it truly is. Per semester, you can have up to two tutors. All you have to do is watch the tutor orientation video online, it takes about 15 minutes, and then Dr. Curty will set you up with a tutor for your class of choice that fits your schedule. Having a tutor personally helps me in the way that it forces me to study. Furthermore, I can ask any questions I want if I don’t understand a piece of information in my notes. Many students utilize this program, however, those who don’t sign up in the beginning of the semester can’t start up with a tutor too late in the school year! Sign up while you can!
Avoid sitting in your bed to study! Some people work best when they spread their books out on their comforter, others at their desk. I tend to snuggle down into bed when trying to study, except I usually fall asleep. This leads me to believe that finding another area may be the best idea. The Wanek library is open 24 hours a day. If you’re closer to Smith, then head on over there. The main floor is basically a graveyard, so it’s quiet as can be. Study better when its noisy? Head on over to the loft above Cottrell’s Starbucks. There are funky chairs and study rooms, what would be better? If you can find a classmate to study with, this is even more of a win for you. Combine notes, quiz each other, cre-ate same questions to build your knowledge upon. Anything you can do counts.
Coffee break? When you go to get coffee, it is a great way to procrastinate. Wait, getting coffee is a great way to stay awake, but you need it to buckle down on your work. Caffeine is your friend, but just make sure you don’t have too much. On campus we’ve got two Starbucks and life hack; 4th floor Slane has free coffee. Also, for those of you who think Starbucks closes at night, Cottrell Starbucks is open until 12:00 A.M.