THE OFFICE OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS PROGRAMS
WEEKLY STUDY TIPS FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 8 TH
Dr. Amy L. Jarmon, Assistant Dean for Academic Success Programs
Just a few more days! You are almost done with exams and papers. Here are some tips to help you over the last hurdles:

Plan how you are going to celebrate the end of the semester. Your plans for celebration will give you the incentive to finish strong this week.

If you lack motivation to study, then structure your day to help you. It is easy to get in a frame of mind that you do not care any more and just want the semester to be over. Here are some ways to help your focus: o Do your most onerous tasks first in the day. By getting the task you like the least or find the hardest out of the way, you will not have it hanging over you all day long.
o Break larger tasks into small tasks. It is much easier to get motivated to do small tasks. Reviewing one crime feels less onerous than having to review Criminal Law. Doing 3 problems on depreciation seems more acceptable than doing problems for all of
Income Tax. Editing a paper for citation is much easier than editing a paper for all aspects at once.
o Take short breaks when your attention wanders. A 5- or 10-minute break gives you time to shake out the cobwebs and regain your focus. Your brain also has time to catch up in “filing” the information you have been learning. It is not unusual to have to take more frequent breaks during the second week of exams.
o Switch tasks to help you re-focus. If reading your outline is causing you to nod off, switch to drilling with flashcards or finishing practice questions. If memorizing rules is just not working, then switch to reviewing methodologies (steps of analysis) or quizzing with a study buddy.
o Plan in longer meal breaks this week. By taking a longer time to eat and relax, you will come back to studying with more energy.
When we get worn down from studying, it takes longer for our brains and bodies to get rejuvenated. The longer breaks will pay off in your ability to focus and stay motivated.
o Get some exercise. Exercise is a wonderful stress buster. By taking a walk or working out for an hour, you are able to return to your studying with a greater sense of calm. And, exercise will help you sleep when you go to bed that night. (However, do not exercise close to bed time.)

Do not get side-tracked from studying by packing and moving. Although it is fine to pack or move a few boxes as a study break, do not let plans for after exams and papers keep you from focusing on your current priorities.
It is easy to procrastinate on studying by telling yourself that you are

taking care of things that have to be done. The key is that your exams and papers should be done first – then pack to your heart’s content.

Make a checklist of things that you need to do after your exams and papers are done. Then, put the list aside and turn back to your studies.
By writing it down you have captured the task, and you do not have to worry that you will forget it later. Add to your list as needed.

Perform random acts of kindness for others. Buy a soda for the law student in line behind you at the vending machine – even if you do not know him/her. Share a pizza with other late-night studiers
– even if they cannot pay for it. Encourage a classmate who is stressing over Criminal
Law or Income Tax. Invite someone to join you for lunch after your last exam. You will make others feel better, and you will feel good about yourself by spreading kindness.

Enjoy your summer from the moment it starts. Even if you are concerned about your GPA, do not spend the days and weeks until grades are posted worrying about it. You have done the best that you can, and worry will not change anything. So, congratulate yourself on finishing another semester and focus on what you are doing this summer. If at all possible, take some time off before starting a job or summer classes. If you are taking the bar this summer, then play for the few days before the bar review starts.

Re-connect with the real world outside of law school. Even if you are taking classes, working for a law firm, or studying for the bar, get in touch with your status as a human being. All of you need some breaks from work or class tasks. Enjoy your family and friends for the wonderful people that they are. Re-discover your own place in this world outside of the law. Go fishing. Play with children. Throw sticks for your dog. Go to the zoo. Ride a roller coaster. Get involved in your church. Volunteer at a soup kitchen.