Students at OSU study for examns in different ways.
Rayne Paris, a senior finance major, said he crams all the information he can the night before the test. He studies for four to six hours the night before and sets other distractions aside during this time.
“It’s as effective as studying a few days earlier,” Paris said. “You know, in my opinion, it’s just more time effective to do it closer to the exam.”
Paris said he has been using this way of studying since his first year of college. He tried spending long hours studying and ended with the same result for the hours he had done the night before.
Paris said he doesn’t get stressed with studying but remains levelheaded with little to no emotions, “like the Terminator.” He keeps one to two notebooks, because he prefers notes on paper, on his desk with a laptop and a cup of coffee.
Paris also said that the way he studies helps more in his in-person classes rather than his online classes, which review the material on the test in the classes, so it’s already on his mind. Online classes go at a set pace, and if it’s the last minute, there is no other information to help besides what is provided.
To Yicela Rivas, a freshman zoology veterinarian science major, studying habits depend on the class she prepares for. She studies for 1 1/2 hours or more, depending on whether it is a more challenging class, such as math.
“As far as, like, my math class,” Rivas said. “I had an exam one day, so I studied all weekend for it. So Saturday and Sunday were multiple hours.”
She studies with a movie or podcast in the background for noise and a notebook to write stuff down beside a laptop. Her notes are on paper with key points for her to look at and essential handouts given to her from the class.
Rivas breaks down the class materials and ensures she knows the information in them. She will also make Quizlet sets to take practice tests to be more prepared.
Depending on her mood, she said she doesn’t have a set time for studying. She does this because she will burn herself out from not wanting to study and end up not studying.
Rivas said she is usually calm when studying, but subjects she doesn’t understand much make her stressed. In these situations, she takes a break to decompress and get her mind right before she starts again.
Kate Dunne, a freshman management major, uses her flashcards or written notes to retain information. She tries to start studying the week before for 30 minutes a day until the day before, when she studies for two hours.
“The repetition of it, and I see the term a lot when I write them down on paper,” Dunne said. “So, I think that’s what makes it effective. Writing down on paper makes it much easier for me to remember.”
Depending on the class, she studies on her desk with a notebook or index cards. She tries not to study at her dorm because she will get distracted and goes to the school locations such as the library or Student Union as an alternative.
Dunne has been using this style since high school and is more confident in the classes because she has good notes. Other courses she’s struggling in can make her flustered, causing her to take a break.