Your last-minute study survival guide

I know your lecturers and tutors have been telling you for weeks not to leave your study until the last minute. But let’s face it, you binged the latest Netflix series, decided to spring clean in Autumn, and procrastinated hard. You’re now left with a mountain of study and not a lot of time. Trust me, I know the feeling. Here are my top tips for nailing last-minute study.

Tip #1 – Set the scene

Do you prefer to study with friends or alone? Inside or outside? At uni or at home? With music or without? Decide on your ideal study environment and get comfortable because wherever you choose, you’ll be there a while.

Tip #2 – Have a plan of attack

When you have a lot to do in a short period, you can’t afford to waste time. Setting out a daily study schedule with achievable goals will help keep you motivated and on track. Remember to take short breaks every couple of hours to avoid feeling overwhelmed or burnt out.

Here’s my typical plan:
I always follow the same simple rules. Start off by watching your revision lecture and listing the topics that will be assessed. Next, organise your lecture notes and highlight key terms. Read over each concept. Binding your notes is also a great option, as it’s super cheap (only a couple of bucks) and helps keep everything neat and tidy. For the actual ‘study’ it’s great to go back through workshop questions and/or make your own. These should replicate the kind of questions you will get in the exam and help with your recall and application. This is where I usually pinpoint topics I am having trouble remembering, which can go undetected if you stick to reading your notes. Finally, study week is definitely not the time to read your textbook or re-watch lectures and both should only be done if absolutely necessary.

I am a firm believer in mastering what you know. If you are running out of time and your options are to write notes on every topic or gain a solid understanding of 75%, I always choose the latter.

Tip #3 – Top Freebies

I’ve definitely left the best for last. The University has a number of great free services and activities to make the end of Trimester a little more enjoyable. I’ve listed some of the best below:

For Gold Coast students – as always the Student Guild has you covered. Week 12 is stress less week meaning you can expect free ice cream, puppy cuddles, yoga, and more around campus. They also offer a wide range of student support services including academic assistance and wellness initatives.

For Brisbane students – the Student Representative Council offer discounts, deals, and vouchers all year round and exams are the perfect time to cash in on free coffee refills and cheap food. On top of this, What’s On At Griffith’s recharge week will bring you a great selection of food, activities, and freebies!

Those last few weeks of the Trimester can be extremely challenging, so while it’s important to work hard, you should also make sure you are taking time to enjoy your uni experience. Good luck 🙂

By Amy Adams