The air is becoming colder and holiday decorations and festivities are abundant. Christmas is coming! But do not forgot – so are finals.

These tests dreaded by students over everything learned during the first semester are approaching. But preparing for them does not have to be so terrible. With this list of do’s and don’ts, studying for finals will be simplistic and straightforward, yet prove worthy in the end.

Do:

• Begin studying a week or two in advance. Give yourself time to memorize the material. Rushing yourself the night before causes unwanted stress.
• Talk to teachers and ask questions. They want you to pass and will help you along the way. Tutors can also help as well.
• Find a quiet place to study and put the phone away. Twitter will still be Twitter when you finish studying. Focus on what you have to study and it will prove you well.
• One of the best ways to study is to quiz yourself and to teach others. Studies show teaching your siblings or even your dog can help you remember the material correctly and effectively.
• Repetition, imagery and patterns. Repeatedly writing or saying a definition aloud, color coding, and creating a song or mnemonic device are a few strategies to help memorization.
• The night before finals, get at least eight hours of sleep, eat healthy and drink plenty of water. Your brain and body will thank you for not falling asleep during the exams.

Don’ts:

• Studying non-stop can become tiresome and cause you to lose focus. Take short study breaks and separate the material being studied. Organization is key!
• Studying in bed is a common mistake. Because the brain is triggered to sleep in beds, the focus needed for studying will not be there. Opt for a different environment, such as a library.
• Cramming the night before and pulling an all nighter will not help your long term memory. If you wish to know the material, cramming the night before and staying up all night will actually negatively affect your memory.