The Bona Venture

Issue date: 12/5/08 Section: Features

Media Credit: Becky McKeown Friedsam Memorial Library is one of the most crowded places on campus during finals week.

As this fall semester takes its final breaths, there is one event keeping it alive: finals week.

For academic all-stars and procrastinators alike, the mountain-high workload may seem impossible to dig through.

However, Jean Ehman, director of the Teaching and Learning Center, said breaking workloads down into feasible chunks would raise students' chances for success.

"If you have a cluster of grapes, you love grapes, but you can't ingest the whole cluster at one time. You have to eat one grape at a time to get through them all," said Ehman. "It's kind of like looking at the daunting task of finals; you have to accomplish small tasks one at a time."

To survive finals week with good grades, Ehman said students should devise a plan.

Before any studying begins, students should find a study space that's conducive to their learning process.

To find a beneficial environment, whether it ends up being a dorm room or a hidden library cubicle, the University of Alabama's Web site suggests students keep their learning style in mind when shopping for a study space.

Paying attention to bodily senses profiles learning styles and helps students discover the best place to learn in accordance with their needs.

While the Web site said a silent studying environment is ideal, students should choose their study location based on how much noise they can tolerate while trying to get work done.

Even mildly bright lighting keeps most people awake and alert. However, in terms of sight, students should consider how much human traffic the area receives when picking a location to avoid distraction.

While the leather armchairs in Café La Verna look inviting, the University of Alabama's Web site's suggestions are a bit tougher. A straight-backed, posture-improving chair, like the ones in the library, helps keep students awake during study sessions.

Ehman said students should find out if their final is a cumulative exam or a final test on the last unit studied, gather necessary resources and begin to review.

Then, it's time to make a plan.

Students should make a list of assignments and prioritize their tasks, Ehman said. The organizational skill manages valuable time and makes the goal of surviving finals week seem much more plausible. Before setting out to study, students should pick a time to quit studying and promise themselves a reward upon completion.

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