What is your finals (studying) routine?

[Therapist4Chnge]

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I figured some may be getting ready to study, or in the midst of studying already. I am currently cramming for my clinical psychopharmacology class (oh joy!!). Stahl's Prescribing Guide and I are bonding like it is the last weekend on earth!

My favorite place is the library. I bring along some fun legal addictive stimulants (4-5 red bulls, some coffee, and maybe bum a cig...though I can't have more than a couple), my laptop, enough food and water for the day/night, and usually slippers (though I forgot them today...so sandals will have to do).

Our library has a stupid rule during finals and weekends....that you can only get a study room with 2 or more people, doh!! There are nooks and whatnot (where I am currently holed up).

So what are your essential study guides, aids, etc?

-t

 

[Ollie123]

This is why grad school scares me.

I have none. I would read textbooks while watching TV the night before if it was a hard class, flip through them if it was an easier class. About 1 in 2 tests I just ended up winging it. My study skills are uhhh......sub par.

I's gots me a collage degrie!

 

[RayneeDeigh]

Good question! I'm supposed to be cramming for my Anthropology of Illness exam on Monday morning but tonight I'm going to a pub with the rest of my graduating psych class to celebrate. I'm trying to remind myself that it's okay to go out since this last exam really means nothing...

Generally I study a LOT though. I go to my dad's vet clinic, sit at his desk, and study amidst the dogs and cats making their various noises. For some reason I concentrate better there than here in my quiet room.

 

[chaos]

This is why grad school scares me.

I have none. I would read textbooks while watching TV the night before if it was a hard class, flip through them if it was an easier class. About 1 in 2 tests I just ended up winging it. My study skills are uhhh......sub par.

I's gots me a collage degrie!

I know what you mean! I missed half the classes prior to my most recent cognitive psych test because I was sick (my study habits suck but I DO usually go to class) and I didn't realize there was a test until the afternoon before the exam. I hadn't read one word of the chapters the test was on, yet somehow two hours of flipping through the book, making flash cards, and then glancing at them the next morning was enough for me to ace the test. Granted it was multiple choice and I'm a good guesser, but I'm just perplexed when I hear people who are like 'I studied all week and I only got a B-'. And it's not like I'm some kind of super genius either...perplexing.

Anyway all that's gonna change in grad school. I may be a crack shot at rote memorization but when it comes to a 20+ page research paper, it doesn't matter how many definitions you can remember if you can't use them to create original ideas.

But yeah for the little studying I do, I make question/answer flashcards. This is especially good for classes like cognitive psych where there are a lot of new terms to memorize.

 

[Quynh2007]

well, this semester, i took really easy classes (and hard classes P/F) so for me it was almost allnighters before prelims. I have 2 finals about 4 days apart so until study week, i am doing absolutely nothing. I still plan on getting a 4.0 this semester though lol

starting grad school though, I plan on being more diligent by making summary guides after every unit/week during my free times (which now are currently filled with e.c. meetings, sorority stuff, and sleep). However, since grades are not too important, I'm going to focus on research, which is what I love to do anyway.

 

[PhDshallsee]

Procrastination and alcohol.

 

[paramour]

I know what you mean! I missed half the classes prior to my most recent cognitive psych test because I was sick (my study habits suck but I DO usually go to class) and I didn't realize there was a test until the afternoon before the exam. I hadn't read one word of the chapters the test was on, yet somehow two hours of flipping through the book, making flash cards, and then glancing at them the next morning was enough for me to ace the test. Granted it was multiple choice and I'm a good guesser, but I'm just perplexed when I hear people who are like 'I studied all week and I only got a B-'. And it's not like I'm some kind of super genius either...perplexing.

Anyway all that's gonna change in grad school. I may be a crack shot at rote memorization but when it comes to a 20+ page research paper, it doesn't matter how many definitions you can remember if you can't use them to create original ideas.

But yeah for the little studying I do, I make question/answer flashcards. This is especially good for classes like cognitive psych where there are a lot of new terms to memorize.

I've run into the same situation with one of my classes this semester. I hadn't read half the material and wasn't there for classes due to travel and other issues. Scanned through the first two chapters and that was all I had time for--didn't even get to the third chapter. Yet, I somehow managed to ace the test with an extremely high A. There are other students in the class who claim to have studied their rears off for the past week and barely pulled C's, if that. I just don't get it. 😕

 

[thewesternsky]

My study routine is almost scarily similar to T4C's. I curl up after-hours in my lab with my laptop, textbooks, notes, some snacks, and massive amounts of diet coke. It's quiet and I'm almost always the only one there (so I can't distract myself by talking with people even if I *want* to). 🙂

 

[psychwanabe]

I know what you mean! I missed half the classes prior to my most recent cognitive psych test because I was sick (my study habits suck but I DO usually go to class) and I didn't realize there was a test until the afternoon before the exam. I hadn't read one word of the chapters the test was on, yet somehow two hours of flipping through the book, making flash cards, and then glancing at them the next morning was enough for me to ace the test. Granted it was multiple choice and I'm a good guesser, but I'm just perplexed when I hear people who are like 'I studied all week and I only got a B-'. And it's not like I'm some kind of super genius either...perplexing.

Anyway all that's gonna change in grad school. I may be a crack shot at rote memorization but when it comes to a 20+ page research paper, it doesn't matter how many definitions you can remember if you can't use them to create original ideas.

But yeah for the little studying I do, I make question/answer flashcards. This is especially good for classes like cognitive psych where there are a lot of new terms to memorize.

Now, I am just the opposite. First, I am a terrible guesser. 🙁 I SUCK at multiple choice tests which is a large part of the reason I didn't do as well as I would have liked on the Psych GREs. I envy people like you and Paramour who can "wing" a multiple choice test with little studying and still get A's. A lot of times it's the extra studying, curve and extra credit that ensures I get an A on those kinds of tests.

On the other hand, I am THRILLED to be heading to grad school where there are fewer m/c tests and more essays and papers. I love writing, and even when I feel like I'm handing in a slapped-together BS paper, I get A's and kudo's. Lovely thing.

My study methods vary by class. My most successful method is to take all my notes and type them into an outline form. As I'm note taking in class I often draw a pair of eyeglasses to remind myself to look something up in the textbook that I wasn't clear on in lectures. Doing both of those things is a good way to reinforce the material in my head. Then, I study the retyped notes in my office at home with classical music very soft in the background. Skittles is the finals/cramming snack food of choice! 🙄

 

[LadyInRed]

Skittles is the finals/cramming snack food of choice! 🙄

It's skittles for me too! 🙂

 

[psychwanabe]

It's skittles for me too! 🙂

funny, right? But then I get this weird sugar buzz and wonder "why did I eat that last bit?" 😳

 

[chaos]

speaking of skittles...you may have seen it but this is like the best ad ever:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HEF49nMsM8

 

[sicologia]

I was never good at studying ahead of time, and even today wait to the last possible minute to look at reports and such. After awhile, I think a person's study habits become sort of ritualistic. I've been this way since I was in elementary school. The only difference now is that I'm better at giving reasons to procrastinate. Still working on this, though (as you can see I'm here on SDN working, right).

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

My study routine is almost scarily similar to T4C's. I curl up after-hours in my lab with my laptop, textbooks, notes, some snacks, and massive amounts of diet coke. It's quiet and I'm almost always the only one there (so I can't distract myself by talking with people even if I *want* to). 🙂

I instituted "The Slipper Policy" at my last firm....of course, it only applied to me.....but I liked it!

(sometimes it pays to be the boss!)



-t

 

[paramour]

Now, I am just the opposite. First, I am a terrible guesser. 🙁 I SUCK at multiple choice tests which is a large part of the reason I didn't do as well as I would have liked on the Psych GREs. I envy people like you and Paramour who can "wing" a multiple choice test with little studying and still get A's. A lot of times it's the extra studying, curve and extra credit that ensures I get an A on those kinds of tests.

. . .

Ah, but what I did not mention is the test I was referring to only consisted of half multiple choice questions. The rest came from 25 point essay questions. 😀 I was initially going to leave them blank but apparently remembered enough physics from years ago to write at least a page or so on each essay.

And, even though I can often "wing" MC questions, I really don't like them as I have a tendency to overanalyze them and start second-guessing answers.

Um, I was going to say something else but my head's a bit fuzzy at the moment from meds, so I suppose I shall stop here . . . 🙁

 

[psychwanabe]

And, even though I can often "wing" MC questions, I really don't like them as I have a tendency to overanalyze them and start second-guessing answers.

Um, I was going to say something else but my head's a bit fuzzy at the moment from meds, so I suppose I shall stop here . . . 🙁

That's precisely my problem. I can always eliminate two, and then reason why either of the other two might be right!

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Ahh...wait until grad school...I had some professors who took real pleasure in the A-I answers. A-D would be singular. E F G were combinations. H & I were "All" and "None". Taking the exam would be a battle, but you really learned your stuff.

Thankfully that was mostly for the foundational classes....the rest were a lot more writing, cases, etc.

-t

 

[psychwanabe]

Ahh...wait until grad school...I had some professors who took real pleasure in the A-I answers. A-D would be singular. E F G were combinations. H & I were "All" and "None". Taking the exam would be a battle, but you really learned your stuff.

Thankfully that was mostly for the foundational classes....the rest were a lot more writing, cases, etc.

-t

Great. Thanks for the encouragement! <insert dripping sarcasm here> 😱

 

[Quynh2007]

i can't study alone. I usually would either 1. end up sleeping or 2. watch TV or 3. go online to facebook etc. but it's not like I group study either, I just have to sit next to someone who's studying and make me feel guilty if I don't study, and when I do wander away (go to facebook, youtube, etc), he/she can kindly remind me to go back to the task at hand.