As finals begin Dec. 8 at 8 a.m. until Dec. 13 at 5:45 p.m. Students on campus begin their study preparations to receive their best grade. While some students like to use flashcards to study, others just rewrite their lectures. Each student has a unique way to study for their classes.

Frida Arredondo, Spanish and French, junior | “If the professors give us a review, then I tried to answer the review and read back on the notes I have written down. I’ve changed the way I’ve studied. I used to only write down everything my professors would say without thinking about it. Now when they say something [in class] I try to think about it and make a connection with something I already know and then I write it down in my own words. This way, I don’t have to study as much because. I already did the process of learning it in class and it truly works. Some of my finals are a combination of multiple choice and free response, but I have one class that is all free response and that professor expects us to write down everything for every question.”

Carolina Beltran, nursing, freshman |“My study tips I guess is [to] actually read the book sit down and actually read and make flash cards. Look over them before your test, like all your tests. I have flash cards for every single chapter for every book for every class.”

Gloria Villarreal, educational leadership, graduate | “I tend to look at my notes that I write in class, so what the professor says or what he writes in the board. When I’m writing notes I’m also looking at the chapter. I have the book open and I follow along in what he’s lecturing at the same time.”

Alaska Carillo Bell, pre-med biology,  junior | “When you’re reading the textbook, don’t read the whole thing. Read the important parts, you gotta figure out how the textbook works. You get the info you have and you look over the info over and over. And at the end of the week you test yourself”

Jessica Odom, English, senior | “Something that really help me is that when I get my syllabus I put everything in my planner so I know when everything comes up. We have a lot of reading as an English major, so sneak in 15-20 minutes of reading when waiting on something.”

Estafani Vazquez, biology and chemistry, freshman | I study by looking over my notes, adding things from the book and going over graded homework. I like to write in blue ink and students can make flash cards or draw out stuff to better learn info. I [also] leave my phone in the living room when studying.

Kelly Le, business management and English, sophomore | “Whenever I study, I usually use flash cards because writing down stuff helps me remember. Then I say it out loud to myself because I heard that hearing yourself repeat information helps [it] stick to you more.”

Mayra Garza, athletic training, sophomore | “When I study I mainly go towards making flash cards and making quizlets to help me memorize the material. Tips that I have are making sure you don’t study last minute and try saying the material out loud, this also helps me memorize things. ”

Ivon Mendoza, junior, business management |“I usually study by making note cards [but] this isn’t a method that works for everyone. I would [tell] other students to go to a place with as little distractions as possible with little to no noise.”

Earlyn Pierie, sophomore, nursing and Spanish | “I find a quite room where no one an hear me, and I basically I read out loud first and then I try to write over the stuff in my own words and read it back to myself. Read out loud  that helps a lot. The more you read of the same thing, the more it sticks.”