Students often have question involving how to get prepared for finals and these are valid questions. Finals could determine their failure or success in the class. They could represent more than 50 percent of students’ grade for the whole semester. There are things students should be aware of if they want to get the most of their study experience in high school. First, students should make sure that they have all the necessary materials. It is rather annoying if we need to continuously re-gather school materials, due to lack of organized efforts. We should make sure that we have all the books and materials we need for the class. Most of the time, books are our primary references, but it is also important to take notes, because teachers will explain the subject from a different perspective.
It is important to take notes with our own word and we don’t have to write down everything that the teacher says to us. We should make sure that we have materials that cover more than 90 percent of the subject, because this will determine our success during the final. Other than book and other written materials, it is also a good idea to gather digital references. They can be more practical, if we use tablets as studying materials wherever we go. But, before committing to digital platforms, we should be aware that written materials provide distinct advantages for students. Kinaesthetic learning will provide memory aid and it is easier to memorize everything that we have written. This is one of the most important things people do when they want to memorize information. Simply writing down information can really be helpful to improve memory.
Also, written materials can be considered as visual tools that people can use as references. In fact, students could immediately remember specific things after they read the written materials. That benefit can be immediately lost when students scroll the computer screen. Also, written materials allow us to draw diagrams, arrows, scribbles and doodles to make it easy for us to understand. Some students can effectively use specific symbols, which can be quite time-consuming to do when they use Microsoft Word. Even latest tablets with active stylus can’t really replace pen and paper due to their flexibility and affordability. In fact, many students who already use digital platforms miss the element completely. We see many students at Starbucks with their laptop open, but the often spend their time opening social media platforms, so could be considered as distractions.
There are many sources of materials that we can choose. Books and the Internet are primary sources. In some cases, last year’s exams can also be considered as study materials, especially if teachers are willing to provide solutions for these math problems. The most important thing is, students should only memorize the information. They also need to be able to analyze the study material and implement it properly. Study sessions should be enjoyable if we have good study materials.