Day 7 Before Finals: Audit and Plan

Do not start studying yet. Spend this day taking a full inventory: list every exam, its date, its weight in your grade, and how confident you feel about the material. Rank them by priority — highest weight and lowest confidence gets the most study time.

Days 6-5: Active Recall, Not Passive Re-reading

Re-reading your notes is one of the least effective study methods. Instead, use active recall: close your notes and try to write down everything you remember. Use flashcards, practice problems, or talk through concepts out loud. The struggle of retrieval is what builds long-term memory.

Days 4-3: Practice With Past Papers

For most subjects, past exam papers are the single most effective study tool. Your university library, course portal, or even Google often has them. Time yourself under real exam conditions. This reveals gaps in your knowledge and reduces test anxiety by familiarizing you with the format.

Day 2: Review Weak Areas Only

By now you know exactly where your gaps are. Do not waste time on material you already understand. Use this day to target your three or four weakest areas with focused revision.

Day 1 (Eve of Exam): Light Review and Sleep

This is not the day for new material. Do a light review of your summary notes, eat well, avoid caffeine after 2pm, and prioritize a full eight hours of sleep. Sleep consolidates memory — the studying you have done this week will stick better with proper rest than with an all-nighter.

What to Avoid During Finals Week

  • All-nighters — they impair cognitive function more than moderate sleep deprivation
  • Studying with your phone nearby (even face down reduces focus)
  • Comparing notes with panicking classmates the morning of an exam
  • Caffeine as a substitute for sleep