Issue date: 5/15/04 Section: Undefined Section

With the week of finals looming just over the horizon at the University of West Florida, students are already stressed.

"Thinking about finals gives me a headache," said UWF student Katie Meckley. "There is so much to do and not enough time in these days to get it all done. It is like a real life bad dream."

No worries, there are number of things students can do to relieve stress and get prepared for the week of finals.

University advisers Anna Shiplee and Thomas Westcott both agreed that studying is the most important thing students can do to avoid becoming stressed out.

"Studying should be an on going process, not a one night thing," Shiplee said.

Also, don't procrastinate. "Students should study at least a week before a test," Shiplee said. "A little bit everyday before a test."

And cramming is generally a bad idea, but can be effective if it is not done all at one time.

"Cramming is OK if you have done your periodic studying," Westcott said.

Another important tip is to stay with a regular routine. "Try to maintain the same schedule," Westcott said. "Don't stay up all night studying. If you go to sleep at 11 p.m. every night, then you should go to bed at that time. And if you eat breakfast every morning, then you should eat breakfast on the morning of testing. However, don't maintain the bad routines such as drinking beer the night before a test."

When studying, students should take frequent breaks. Shiplee said students should take a 10 to 15 minute break for every hour of studying.

"Students should also study at appropriate places, like at a desk," Shiplee said.

Other than studying and maintaining regular routines, students can get help from outside sources. The UWF Learning Center and Math Lab are just some of the places where students can get help. Westcott said students should talk to advisers and faculty members for additional help if needed.

The UWF Counseling Center is another place to get test tips. An "Exam Panic" brochure is available at the center and offers helpful test tips. Some of these tips are to avoid cramming, and to watch for dumb mistakes.

Westcott said don't get to class early or late on test day. Getting to class early may make a student anxious when hearing other people talk about the test and test materials.

If students need to get to class early to study a little, they should go somewhere else instead of their classroom.

And getting to class late may throw students off balance, so don't be late.

Some students get test anxiety during a test and forget the information. If this happens, try not to become tense.

"Put down the pencil and relax," Westcott said. "Go to a happy place."

Shiplee also advised that students should try to fill their minds with good thoughts to ease the pressure.

"Close your eyes and visualize positive images," Shiplee said.

If a student experiences an extreme test anxiety problem, then he or she should talk to a counselor.

Here are the highlights of all the test tips:

* Study, study and study

* Avoid cramming

* Take breaks when studying

* Try to maintain a regular routine

* Use outside help if needed

* Don't get to class early or late

* Don't tense up. Be calm

By applying these test tips, students should be able to make better grades on their finals. If all things fail, remember that the University has a forgiveness policy. Check with advisers on the stipulations of the forgiveness policy.

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