Fifth in a series: Ask the Expert
With finals approaching, students at UTRGV voiced their concerns and questions with experts on how to concentrate and study efficiently.
This week’s Ask the Expert questions come from students Michel Valdez, an occupational therapy freshman, and Christopher Cortez, an electrical engineering junior.
Cortez said what he is most worried about with finals approaching is, “How everything’s gonna be spaced out, because since I have classes almost back-to-back, I’m afraid that they’re gonna interfere with my study time.”
Both students told The Rider that they set aside about three hours a day to study for classes.
Asked what unconventional methods he has for studying, Cortez replied that listening to music helps him focus. Listening to a specific song while studying a problem helps him remember the problem during the test, he said.
Valdez said the way that he studies for finals includes reviewing the professor’s study guide, PowerPoints and creating a study guide for himself if one is not provided.
Asked what advice he had for other students, Cortez replied, “Get a lot of rest, stay hydrated, study but don’t study too rigorously ’cause you’ll put too much stress on yourself.”
Cortez said a question that he has for experts is how he can be more productive academically and efficient in studying to transfer that onto the final.
“My main goal is to go for an A, how do I strive for that?” Cortez asked.
Asked what questions he had for experts regarding finals, Valdez replied, “How can I concentrate 100% ’cause I get distracted easily?”
UTRGV Experts
Jerwen Jou, a psychological science professor, offered some of his expert tips with students on how to effectively and efficiently study for finals.
He advises students to talk to their professors to know firsthand what is being asked of them and to know if the final will be comprehensive or non-comprehensive.
“It depends completely on the specific courses,” Jou said. “The person who can give the best answer should be the instructor of the course.”
Some of his tips on how to study are to review old lecture notes.
Students should check Blackboard to review any PowerPoints, documents or videos professors provide throughout the semester, Jou said.
He recommends students use their limited time to master the material they already know and if there is extra time, to study the more complicated concepts.
“Take care of the easier parts first before you tackle the more difficult parts,” Jou said.
He advises students who are easily distracted while studying to “go to a quiet room or place, the library, or your private study room at home, long distance from the television or activities or other members of the family.”
Jou said students need to have the willpower to concentrate on what they are studying and should keep away from sources of distraction.
“Don’t let your mind wander away from the material you are studying,” Jou said.
Grant Benham, a psychological science professor with a specialty in stress, sleep and health, advises students to avoid procrastination and to not focus exclusively on studying.
To prevent stress, Benham suggests students give themselves breaks between study sessions.
“Try to fit in some exercise as a way of taking a break to recharge your batteries,” Benham said.
Other stress reduction exercises include deep breathing, which students can use to relax.
Some study tips that he suggests are to take a more active approach by asking yourself questions on the material or explaining a topic to someone else. These methods are proven to help students retain information, he said.
Benham said students should recognize that sleep is critical for both mental health and memory.
“By not getting enough sleep, you are doing yourself a disservice,” he said.
For students who feel stressed about their finals, Benham said it is a matter of changing their perspective.
“Recognizing that, while these finals are important, they are probably not the end of the world,” Benham said. “If something goes wrong in one class, it’s probably not gonna make or break the rest of your life.”
Dean of Libraries Paul Sharpe provided some resources the library offers for students during finals week.
Starting Friday, libraries on both the Brownsville and Edinburg campuses will be extending their hours. From Sunday to Dec. 12, both libraries will be open 24 hours.
Finals begin Friday and end Dec. 12.
The library will provide coffee and hot teas each night at midnight, along with free Scantrons for students.
Some tips that Sharpe has for students regarding studying for finals would be to “find ways to relate the subject matter to things that actually interest you in life.”
Everyone has different ways of learning, according to Sharpe, whether it be through music, movies or fictional stories.
“Find your method or format that relates to you the best,” Sharpe said.
The library provides different environments for students with different study habits. These environments consist of business zones, which are typically the loudest level of the library; quiet zones, where students sometimes study in small groups; and silent zones where students typically study individually.
Sharpe recommends students find the zone that works best for them.
