Success in finals can be made easier

'Tis the time of the semester that college students find themselves hoping that Santa would grant them their wish of getting rid of finals.

Unfortunately, finals are part of a person's college career. But there is help for Cal State Long Beach students during this stressful time.

In an effort to help students get through finals, the Learning Assistance Center offers these study tips.

1. Start early and get organized.
   Find out details about final exam contents, format and length. Gather all your material (notes, study guides, old exams, homework, etc.). Put material related to final exam in proper order. Develop a schedule for steps 2 and 3 below.
2. Simplify information for each exam to make it "study friendly."
   Reduce a chapter to an outline, concept map, graph or other listing. Organize terms or technical details into categorical lists of five to nine items.
3. Learn the material.
   Study according to your learning style preference (visual, auditory, kinesthetic). Space your study over multiple sessions, with short breaks in between. Concentrate -- and take a break as soon as you lose concentration. Understand concepts first, then the details related to them. Memorize only what you understand, then use good memory strategies: repetition, mnemonics, rehearsal, association and visualization. Test yourself regularly on what you think you know. Review what you've learned just before the exam.
4. Demonstrate what you know when taking the test.
   Relax -- that enhances your recall of what you know. Review the entire test first, and budget your time wisely. Collect points by doing what you know first, quickly but carefully.