Finals week - survival tips

This one goes out to all of my MAcc classmates...

First of all, let me say that I CANNOT believe this is the last week of classes for the first term of the MAcc program.  The past seven weeks have flown by, and now it's time for finals.  So for now, here are some tips to succeed this week:

1.  Remain calm - you will study much more efficiently if you're not thinking about every class, scheduling for next term, when you're going to sleep, etc.  I find it best to list out what I need to study or practice for each course and then create a schedule I can follow easily.

2.  Get comfortable - but not too comfortable!  Set up some place where you won't be distracted and you can sit undisturbed for a generous length of time.  That being said, I would not suggest bundling up in bed and attempting to read anything on a Sunday afternoon.  That only resulted in a wasteful, albeit enjoyable, nap.

3.  Review, don't re-do.  Theoretically, it should be easier to go through notes and examples now that we've been over them once in class.  For example, don't spend hours recalculating every number from every case in Financial Reporting, one of the autumn term 1 core courses.  Review each of the topics and focus on the ones you don't understand.

4.  Ask for help!  It's not too late to reach out to your professors or classmates.  Each one of the MAcc faculty members is very understanding and will make themselves available to help you.  Study groups are also a great way to prepare for finals.  Chances are you're not the only student who needs help with a problem and studying in a group also makes it more likely that someone else will know the answer.  It's not a bad idea to reserve a room in Gerlach or Mason for some group study time.

At this point, we've all been through this before as undergrads.  Finals aren't anything new, but we seem to be stressed out each time finals week rolls around.  So for now, don't stress, study for a few days, and before you know it we'll all be celebrating the completion of our first term as MAcc students!