It’s been two weeks since my last blog post, so I have had plenty of time to try my challenge of drinking the daily recommended amount of water.  The plan I came up with of drinking a water bottle at every meal and another one throughout the day was effective in helping me complete my goal.  Overall, I liked the challenge because drinking the right amount of water actually made me less tired and more energized.

The energy water gave me would have been perfect for studying for finals, but unfortunately I did not take advantage of that opportunity.  The countdown to finals now stands at 21 days, which means we are entering the time that really matters when studying for finals.  Therefore, this week’s challenge is to begin preparing for finals.

I will admit, actually starting to study course material three weeks out seems a little premature, but preparation for studying is best done three to four weeks before finals.  Preparation can be as minimal or extensive as you’d like, but just know that it really sets the foundations for your study habits during and leading up to finals week.  The following are my personal tips on how best to prepare to study for finals:

• make a schedule: There are two main schedules you need to make.  First, make a schedule of finals week and include what finals you have, when they are, where they are, and what you need to bring.  Secondly, make a study schedule so you don’t end up cramming for the test the night before.
• rate your finals: Not all finals are created equal.  I like to rate mine on a scale of “easy, medium or hard”.  If it is an easy final, I usually only study the night before and one other day.  For the hard ones though, it’s best to get started a few weeks in advance.
• make your materials: Quizlet.com is my best friend during finals week.  Seriously.  Now is the perfect time to make the digital flashcards over any and all course material.  Doing this now will allow for more actual study time when you need it, instead of creating ways to study.

This definitely is not my favorite challenge, but I think it is necessary.  And, if you complete this challenge this week, next week’s challenge will be a real treat.  So let’s go out this week, prepare for finals and conquer this challenge!