SHANNON URTNOWSKI
Living Assistant
Most students have been there. The days passed quickly and then the hours count down toward the moment of truth. As beads of sweat start to pour down your face, you begin to wonder if it is too late. Many have experienced it at one time during their college careers — procrastination. Despite that many dedicated college students know better, most know what it is like to push off studying for an exam, the thought of which does not usually come to the front of their minds until about 9 p.m. the night before. Thus, the ever popular, yet oh-so-undesirable, all-nighter. But, not all students know how to go about taking on the challenge of the all-nighter — until now.
STEP ONE: Stay Calm
Though the minutes to test time are passing quickly, it is still probably not too late to salvage your grade. It is true that some tests require more studying than others, but, regardless of the situation you are in, try not to overreact. Waiting until the night before to study for a test is something that happens to the best of us, so go ahead and accept that fact and get to work.
Do not give up. If you sacrifice a little sleep, you are sure to be able to get through a good amount of the material. Besides — wasting time on worry will take away from both your study and sleep.
STEP TWO: Review the key points
We have already established that getting a reasonable amount of study time in is crucial, but, that being said, it is most likely too late to take all the time you need to go over the material in careful scrutiny. You are still fine, though. Get your notes together, grab a highlighter and start reviewing. Read for the key words and ideas. You may not grasp every aspect of the material that will be on the test, but getting that general overview of the important issues discussed during the lecture and found in the reading will give you the basis you need to succeed on the test — or at least not bomb miserably.
STEP THREE: Pick a place
And, whatever you do, do not settle for an “average” study spot. The clock is ticking and every minute is crucial, so the less distractions the better. The library is always a good spot to study as a group, but since it is not open 24 hours daily and is a social playground during midterms and finals, your best bet will probably be the dorm lounges.
Just make sure you are at a spot where you will not distracted by your group members, or, if you are studying alone, anything around that may grab your attention late in the night. You do not have all the time in the world, so make the most of that which you have in a great location.
STEP FOUR: Get into a group
The most important thing to remember is that you are not alone. Procrastination is something at which many college students excel, so take advantage of this. All of you procrastinators can use each other to get through your plight. Follow the old saying, “Two heads are better than one.” And, go ahead and take it even further than two. The more people you can gather together in your late night study group, the better. This is because you can all toss around ideas, notes and even offer a little motivation to stay awake and focused.
11-02-2006