Finals week is upon us! It’s a time for late nights, reviewing notes, and more than likely a lot of iced coffee. We have compiled some tech tips to ensure you finish the semester strong and ace those finals.
Stay organized with To-Do
The organization of materials is a precursor to the success a student will find in and out of the classroom. Although staying organized can be especially difficult during this transitional period, you can use To-Do to help keep track of your tasks and assignments. Create lists of things you need to get done and feel the satisfaction of crossing each item off your list throughout the day. To-Do is free for all at TXST as part of Office 365.
Get into study mode with Spotify playlists
Get into study mode and listen to one of Texas State’s Spotify playlists. During long study sessions, music can help keep your momentum going. Listening to music helps create a positive mood, which indirectly boosts memory formation. There’s also nothing wrong with having a little dance break to keep your energy levels high.
Have a study group with Teams
Feeling connected has never been more important during these unsettling times. Having a study group can help you learn course material in a deeper, more concrete way. An effective study group helps generate positive energy, encourages active participation, and instills discipline. With Microsoft Teams, staying united and collaborating is easy to help continue to motivate and inspire one another. Teams is free for all Bobcats as part of Office 365.
Manage your time with the Pomodoro Method
Learning to appropriately prioritize and manage time is an important skill that will last you for the rest of your career. It is important to limit distractions during work time in order to be productive, this helps eliminate burnout and keeps you on task. The Pomodoro Method is a time management system that uses a timer to break down work into intervals, where you work for 25 minutes straight and then allow yourself a 5-minute break in between sessions. Try the Focus To-Do app, which is free for all iOS and Android users.
Take a breath with a Meditation app
Studies show that meditating before you study can improve your reading comprehension, memory, concentration, stress, and anxiety. Post-meditation, your mind is less likely to wander and you’re more likely to stay focused for longer periods of time, pairing this with the Pomodoro Method means you’re ready to tackle your study sessions. Headspace is a meditation app that is available for iOS and Android users and is allowing free access to some of its mindfulness exercises, meditations, and sleep experiences.
Chantal Lesley is a marketing and communications specialist student employee in the IT Marketing and Communications office.
