Final Exams are right around the corner...how are you guys holding up?

[BerkeleyPremed]

Just thought I'd make a thread for folks to share studying strategies for this semester's final exams. Feel free to contribute if ya like...Regardless of how you study or when you study (night before vs. 3 weeks prior)...good luck on finals exams!!!

Helpful Tips (in case you're interested):
1) For bio classes...I've just memorized lecture notes/slides and did the assigned reading. I wrote down everything I remembered after going through a set of lecture notes/slides and this has tremendously helped my retention of the material.

2) For O-chem...2 words..flash cards...I also recommend getting L.G. Wade's Organic Chemistry textbook in case your university uses another one (McMurray, Vollhardt&Schore, Carey, Loudon, etc). Using Wade's book in conjunction with the one assigned by my school (vollhardt&schore) has helped me a LOT. Feel free to bounce around your own O-chem study stratgies.

3) For math/statistics courses...I just do a few practice problems from each section covered during the course.

With a few days left, how are you guys coping? I got a little studying in during thanksgiving break and I'm definitely ready to put this semester behind me. This has been a grueling semester, but also VERY rewarding in more ways than I could have possibly imagined. Once again, best of luck to everyone!

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[jacksonchan85]

Thanks for the tips!

Best of luck on your finals!


All I can say is.....no sleep for me.....
exams are 9 days away, and I have 4 of 'em

blah

 

[XCanadianRagwee]

I've got lots of sharp pointy objects and I'm running with them

 

[Sophie]

Damn, way to make someone start stressing. My finals week isn't until December 8-12, which I consider a long ways away.

The rough plan for tackling my exams is:

Spanish: Read over the vocab summary in the back of each chapter. Possibly look at class notes. Projected time: 1.5 hours.

Physics: Read the assigned chapters and memorize the few necessary equations. Possibly do some of the homework problems. Projected time: 3 hours.

O Chem: Read the assigned chapters and do the assigned homework problems. Read over the class notes and summarize them in a study guide. Read my study guides from midterms 1 and 2. Projected time: 10 hours.

Bio: Read class notes, make study guide from class notes, read study guide over and over and over. ****ing memorization class. Projected time: 15 hours.

Ack. 30 hours. It didn't seem like that much before I laid it all out like that. Maybe I should get started.

 

[spumoni620]

I HATE FINALS.



Especially cumulative orgo finals covering 22 freakin chapters of Wade. You don't like Wade so much once you have to digest 22 chapters of the book. oh well. i'll be sane one week from today.

 

[TheFlash]

Yuck, finals are nigh. I've got a cumulative P.Chem final and a comprehesive Econometrics final that are tag-teaming me on the same day!

I'm contemplating slipping myself some roofies that morning so that I don't remember the carnage.

TF

 

[spumoni620]

Originally posted by TheFlash
Yuck, finals are nigh. I've got a cumulative P.Chem final and a comprehesive Econometrics final that are tag-teaming me on the same day!

I'm contemplating slipping myself some roofies that morning so that I don't remember the carnage.

TF

on the same day? ouch.

 

[TheFlash]

Originally posted by spumoni620
on the same day? ouch.

Ha! That's exactly what I said when I found out my exam schedule. Kudos to the genius that conjured up the idea of multiple finals per day.

TF

 

[Gleevec]

For some reason this semester I have only one final. Instead, I have about 80 pages of writing due in a variety of classes this coming week, meaning that Thanksgiving break was my reading period.

Freaking fantastic

 

[ForensicPath]

I have so much studying and paper writing to do that I think I'm just not going to study and wing it on my finals. I just finished writing a 30 page paper and I am all tapped out, mentally speaking.

 

[bella_dottoressa]

Yick. Mine are the 8th, 9th and 10th. Flew across the country to visit with the boyfriend and his fam over the holiday so minus a few hours on the plane, not a very productive weekend...however it was wonderful anyway

At any rate...
Physiology - so set, i just love bio classes. read, understand, memorize a few things, good to go. no pressure either since i've aced both the midterms

History - write a paper. done.

Ochem - read, read, read...practice, practice, practice....pray, pray, pray. I'm so scared about this one. Ochem has been a difficult thing for me to get into this quarter...i'm hoping to just get a B and move on to next quarter a bit wiser with the ways of ochem

Good luck to everyone though! I'm such a neurotic studier, with a week left I feel like i have NO, i repeat NO time. I may set a record for mg of caffiene consumed in a week

 

[BerkeleyPremed]

Well...I have an O-chem final, a Bio II final, a statistics final, and a final in a highly specialized upper division course called Medical Ethnobotany. Needless to say, I'll be doing LOTS of practice problems as well as wading through many pages of notes. Well...this just goes to show we're all in this together and we're all experiencing varying degrees of stress right now. I just keep telling myself..."Just keep working your a** off for another 13 days...and it'll all be over soon."

I spent some of my thanksgiving break with my best friends from high school and I can't WAIT until winter break to hang out with them even more. Chances are, I'll be spending the majority of my winter break getting drunk at my best friend's apt on wilshire blvd (he goes to UCLA). So my advice is...while you guys are grinding away at the libraries, cafes, etc...just think about the payoff at the end when you've finished your last final exam. Whether that payoff is spending more time with your family, friends, or SO..or just going on a vacation to **insert destination here**..let that be your guiding motivation for the VERY stressful days that are to come.

Happy holidays guys and keep the encouraging responses coming.

 

[Cerberus]

Plan: Ritalin+adderall cocktail

NOTHING CAN STOP ME!


I am kidding, i dont really have a drug problem - please dont send me any concerned pm's

 

[soonerpillow]

Like Gleevec, I only have one final. Fortunately I don't have any huge writing assignment or anything else (well, I have a lab report, but BFD). Woohoo! But man, am I ready to get this semester over with.

My one final is Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 8am. Immediately afterward, I am going to the movie theater for Lord of the Rings: Trilogy Tuesday. They're showing all three films back to back to back, 1pm to 1am. That's what I have to look forward to. It's gonna be awesome.

 

[ice_23]

Dude, sooner, that's tight. I wanna do that too, I hope they're doing the same thing where I'm from.

Oh, and is anyone else here on a quarter system? I feel as though I have no time, and honestly, if I look back...I really didnt. I just had tons of tests and papers...

-Ice

 

[freesolo]

what movie theatre is it showing at?

 

[soonerpillow]

Originally posted by Abraham
what movie theatre is it showing at?

AMC Quail Springs 24

 

[DD214_DOC]

Finals are the easiest exams of the semester by far. Guess what? You already know everything! If you don't remember it, read it again. Piece of cake.

 

[::Seabass::]

Originally posted by Gleevec
For some reason this semester I have only one final. Instead, I have about 80 pages of writing due in a variety of classes this coming week, meaning that Thanksgiving break was my reading period.

Freaking fantastic

Don't worry, next year you'll be studying. I was camped out next to some Baylor girls in the coffee shop yesterday who I played against in flag football.

 

[::Seabass::]

Originally posted by Sophie
Ack. 30 hours. It didn't seem like that much before I laid it all out like that. Maybe I should get started.

Lucky girl. Hopefully I'll have in that many by Wednesday (starting today) if I stay focused. IF is the key word. Thursday for sure though, and then it continues for 2 more weeks after that.

My strategy = a lot of sweat and some prayers.

Procrastination does not pay!!! (ok, I lied, it really paid off for the last 3 weeks, just not the next 3) At least I have made it through 90% of my material for block 3 once already, some anatomy and biochem twice but those 2 classes need another 2 times through.

 

[TTSD]

Physiology - FREAKING ME OUT! We have to memorize our readings and lab material VERBATIM to the smallest detail and fully understand how everything applies to each other. We will have our full comprehension of everything test with 200 multiple choice questions!! Remember, it's curved so everyone will be doing their best to get all of them right.

Neuro/Motor - Eh.. I can take a hit on the final and probably still get an A in the class ;-) I scored waaaay waaaay above the curve on the midterm and quizes :-D

Population Genetics - No idea.. this class sucks. SO BORING! I'm on a B+ right now.. can go to A or B easily.

 

[Gleevec]

Originally posted by seaworthc
Don't worry, next year you'll be studying. I was camped out next to some Baylor girls in the coffee shop yesterday who I played against in flag football.

Haha nice, who won?

Carr and Davis were ridiculous on Sunday.

 

[UCLAstudent]

I can't wait until finals are over... I think my genetics one is going to be a killer. A different (easier) teacher taught the first half of the course and wrote the midterm, and the current teacher has the reputation of being pretty difficult. At least it will be over soon.

Psych is my easy class, so I'm not too worried about it.

Physics... that should be fun. You know your class is doomed for a hard final when the average on the midterm was 87%!

Anyway, I'm not too stressed, yet. I have to get through my choir concert, first.

 

[::Seabass::]

Originally posted by Gleevec
Haha nice, who won?

well, with me on the team........

we beat the baylor women's first year and fourth year team back to back to win the championship. better luck next year.

(I don't think they recognized me though, sometimes people don't from the ponytail to hair down)

actually, my class as Houston as won all of the intramural championships since school started. we're a bunch of athletes. don't know how we'll do in basketball, but we're stacked for soccer and softball this spring!

 

[BerkeleyPremed]

I just need to hang in there until December 13th...after that...the only thing I'll be worried about is whether I should grab an MGD or a Budweiser from the fridge...

 

[CD]

Originally posted by JKDMed
Finals are the easiest exams of the semester by far. Guess what? You already know everything! If you don't remember it, read it again. Piece of cake.

You have GOT to be KIDDING! On the 11th I have a biochemistry exam (BB 590) that is NOT comprehensive AND 50% of the test is on material covered during ONE WEEK....dead week. I can't believe he is doing this to us....glucogenesis and glucolysis including ALL the enzyme names and feedback systems. THEN he tossed in a little Michaelis-menten to boot.....ALL IN ONE WEEK! I'm still dizzy from the speed. There is NO WAY I can memorize all the names....although I pretty much have the chemistry down. This isn't going to be pretty...and the final is 50% of our grade. (and he spent nearly a month on GENERAL CHEMISTRY....go figure)

 

[supersunny]

let's hear it for quarter system!

this week is the quiet before the storm. i have exams on the 8th, 9th, and 10th.

like berkeleypremed, i'm heading down to wilshire blvd to chill with some homeys and get pissed on tanqueray

 

[supersunny]

Originally posted by CD
You have GOT to be KIDDING! On the 11th I have a biochemistry exam (BB 590) that is NOT comprehensive AND 50% of the test is on material covered during ONE WEEK

yeah... my cognitive science final isn't comprehensive either. don't you love it? at least it's not too much memorization like your class.

 

[beatla19]

I hate the quarter system, personally. You have to go 100% the entire quarter w/o a break it seems. Doing poorly on one test totally screws up your entire grade. Sorry, just some venting. I'm probably tense b/c of finals this week and next. BTW, BerkeleyPremed: are you guys on semester or quarter?

 

[jlee9531]

Originally posted by beatla19
I hate the quarter system, personally. You have to go 100% the entire quarter w/o a break it seems. Doing poorly on one test totally screws up your entire grade. Sorry, just some venting. I'm probably tense b/c of finals this week and next. BTW, BerkeleyPremed: are you guys on semester or quarter?

Berkeley is awesome because we run the semester baby .

I do believe it is the only UC that runs on the semester system.

 

[biobossx99]

Chemistry and Math, I'm am well, I've kept up with the reading hw, online quizes , etc. Fear of these premed classes has kept me on me toes. I will fair a decent grade.

However....


Korean is hard! I'm korean too and I can't seem to figure out what I'm doing wrong. And it's a 5 unit course too T_T (Buu Buu).

Maybe I've neglected it, but the upcoming finals are going to kill me for !!!!

 

[JDAD]

Well, I get to start studying for finals this weekend. Unitl then, I have a genetics paper, and the final bio chem test to think about.

Final Schedule

Philosophy non - comprehensive - this one should be cake

Genetics - Comprehensive

Physics 2 - Comprehensive

Biochemistry - Comprehensive

PChem - Comprehensive

All are withing three days excluding the philosophy. Please send help. I am going to need to buckle down if I want to keep my 4.0. I figure if I can get through this, I can get through anything.

 

[OnMyWayThere]

Originally posted by TheFlash
Yuck, finals are nigh. I've got a cumulative P.Chem final and a comprehesive Econometrics final

TF

I'm very serious when asking this, do these make a difference? Is one "day 1 - final" and the other "midterm - final" ?

 

[Skaterbabe74]

I have finals from the 15th-17th. But before I can even start thinking about them I have 2 orgo lab reports to finish, a physics lab report to finish, 2 orgo homeworks, an orgo quiz, a research methods homework, and probably a physics homework to finish (our prof is behind in assigning it so who knows lol). Plus a ton of reading to catch up on lol.

The only "good" thing is that only my research methods final is fully comprehensive, and my orgo final is partially comprehensive (1/2 new stuff, 1/2 comprehensive). But the bad thing is that my notoriously long research methods exam is right before my orgo final. I'll be lucky to have a 1/2 hr in between the two . At least those are both on my last day so I'll be done with everything else.

Can we say a stressful week? lol I'm hoping to finish reading stuff this weekend, and then start reviewing next week.

 

[Samus Aran]

None of my finals will be too hard I'm just not motivated to study for them anymore The only one I really feel like putting any sort of effort into is organic, but even my motivation for that is slim to none. Christmas here I come!!!!!!!!

 

[spumoni620]

just finished a physics II final. now procrastinating before cramming wade and a semesters' worth of reaction mechanisms in my brain for tomorrow's ochem final. one down, two to go...

 

[Gleevec]

Cant wait for this crap to be over!

 

[OnMyWayThere]

For OChem... doing all the old exams over from scratch now. Then next week, will rewrite important points from notes to refresh them. Then gonna knock that damn final cold upside the head .

For Bio... just rereading the notes and doing the exams over. I don't know why they teach us an additional 9 chapters in 2 weeks before the final but that's life... gonna read read and maybe rewrite the recent notes that we haven't been tested on yet.

Stats... oh stats... this instructor tests us only on conceptual parts of stats (it's for Psych stats) and says " you did calculations in HW, now is the time to see if you understand it"... greaaat. Gonna read the book 3 times b4 the exam (it's only 2 chapters - not cumulative.)

History... I hate this class. We need to memorize 3 essays and 300 multiple choice questions... and regurgitate (sp?). I hope I have enough room in my brain.

Child Development... B.S. online class

Good luck to you all... just think how nice you'll feel when you drink all those alcoholic beverages upon completion of your last final... nothing to worry about for a couple of weeks. Stay up... I'm off to studying. Peace.

 

[bella_dottoressa]

i am going mad, mad i say.

ooh, doing all the old ochem practice exams, that's a good plan. god i hate ochem.

i actually like the quarter system. i think it's more fun and exciting to get to pick out a brand new schedule 3 times a year...it's more intense maybe but it's nice if you really hate a class to get it done and over with more quickly.

 

[SaltySqueegee]

Caffeine is my friend.

At the local cafe' they have a secret drink that is not on the menu. It's entitled ROCKET FUEL ----> EIGHT SHOTS OF ESPRESSO.

Sometimes I can see God, and shoot lightening out of my fingertips... no ... really... I Can!

 

[TheFlash]

Well guys, we have a winner. My Game Theory open book take-home exam is officially the hardest test I've taken in the whole of my education. It has taken difficulty to a new level. The teacher handed it out in class, told us we had a week to do it, and gave us a forboding "May God be with you" as we were leaving.

Juniors, choose your senior year classes with the utmost care. Don't underestimate the power of senioritis!

TF

 

[BerkeleyPremed]

This semester has been a blast. Even as I review for finals right now, I can't help but think of all the cool GSIs I've had (Graduate Student Instructors), all the cool people I met in labs and discussions, all the new stuff I've learned, and the satisfaction I've gotten out of working on my ECs (I run my own campus organization and work for a non-profit organization in the Bay Area). Best of luck guys and keep the responses coming! In just a few days, this will ALL be over.

 

[NYGirl12]

Originally posted by MDTom
Caffeine is my friend.

At the local cafe' they have a secret drink that is not on the menu. It's entitled ROCKET FUEL ----> EIGHT SHOTS OF ESPRESSO.

Sometimes I can see God, and shoot lightening out of my fingertips... no ... really... I Can!

lol, in our new cafe here in my college (it's like strabucks!), they have fruit or coffee smoothies with "boosters". you can choose from memory booster, energy, protein, weight loss...there are tons of boosters to choose from. i'm a huge fan of their memory booster!! although i must say that it's purely psychological and i don't think it really has an effect if your taking a midterm or whatever. hehe, it's just fun!

 

[bella_dottoressa]

What kind of campus organization did you start, BP?

I agree, the best thing about this quarter for me was the non-school stuff I did...I spent pretty much the whole quarter training for a part time job with Jumpstart which involves working with disadvantaged preschoolers and training to volunteer at a suicide hotline. I really didn't know what it meant to do something rewarding until I started doing these things in the past few weeks. So fun.

 

[spumoni620]

so i just finished a kick-butt ochem final. my brain was so exhausted at the end, crying for food...80 questions + spectroscopy problems. don't know how it went, but i am soooooo glad it's over. now i just have biochem left...
btw - for all you peeps discussing ochem study strategies... i found that working the practice exams was the best prep ever.

 

[spumoni620]

Originally posted by TheFlash
Well guys, we have a winner. My Game Theory open book take-home exam is officially the hardest test I've taken in the whole of my education. It has taken difficulty to a new level. The teacher handed it out in class, told us we had a week to do it, and gave us a forboding "May God be with you" as we were leaving.

Juniors, choose your senior year classes with the utmost care. Don't underestimate the power of senioritis!

TF

game theory? econometrics? dude, as a senior econ major, you need to know how to pick the classes wisely...try "contemporary issues in modern economics" or "the economics of money" next semester.

 

[BerkeleyPremed]

Originally posted by crystal18mc
What kind of campus organization did you start, BP?

I agree, the best thing about this quarter for me was the non-school stuff I did...I spent pretty much the whole quarter training for a part time job with Jumpstart which involves working with disadvantaged preschoolers and training to volunteer at a suicide hotline. I really didn't know what it meant to do something rewarding until I started doing these things in the past few weeks. So fun.

I started an outreach organization dedicated to helping students from underprivileged areas apply to college. I work with other local non-profit organizations in the Bay Area and I also work for a larger national non-profit organization that has similar goals. It's been a great experience. Gotta get back to the books and keep studying for finals...keep this thread alive guys! Even though the reputation of premeds may have you believe otherwise, I still believe that premeds can build a support network for each other and can genuinely help each other out. Not everything has to be cutthroat (except all exams taken in organic chemistry, molecular biology, biology, physics, math, statistics, and **insert any science class here**).

 

[OnMyWayThere]

Coffee really screws with my stomach BUT I've been on it these past couple of days just for finals. Tonight I was driving to Starbucks to grab some and come back home and grabbed some red bull instead. It's 1:10am here in L.A. and I am ready to ready the Cambell book (I usually cannot study after 10pm).

Point of the post: Red bull is your friend during finals week

Next week at this exact time, i will be drinking the same thing... except this time it will be half red bull and half vodka mixed

 

[TheFlash]

Originally posted by spumoni620
game theory? econometrics? dude, as a senior econ major, you need to know how to pick the classes wisely...try "contemporary issues in modern economics" or "the economics of money" next semester.

I get the feeling that you are/were an Econ major as well. I was naive when I picked my classes last year, in that I thought my senior year would be more fun if I "challenged" myself with rigorous yet entertaining classes. Ha! What a farce. They are rigorous with no entertainment involved. burn in hell p.chem...

I've learned my lesson, though. Spring semester entails Acting/Directing 201, The Philosophy of Science and Religion, and Economics of Gender. Now, if I could just squeeze a tennis class in there somewhere.

TF

 

[calebho501]

Everyone said "Screw you" when I told them I don't have finals I'm lucky this quarter in that I have no finals, and I'm already done with school. I'm flying back home next week. For those of you who have finals coming up, ENJOY!