It is vital to set aside ample time in your weekly schedule to study. I know that life can get busy when work, school, family, friends and extracurricular acctivities are all desperately vying for your time but if you it’s not a priority then it won’t get done.

For example, if you finish class at 2:00 p.m. and don’t start work until 5:00 p.m. then set aside 30 minutes to an hour during that time to study.

Take the time to find a study method that works for you. If you try flashcards and hate them, that’s okay. Rip up those flashcards and try a new method. Some people have success with rewriting their notes or turning their notes into a powerpoint slide.

When you begin to feel burnout creeping and breathing down your neck then change up your methods. My personal study method involves reading both my textbooks and notes aloud and using mock exams prepared on Quizlet.

If I’ve learned one thing over my years in college it is that it is easier to study as you go rather than cram everything in during a caffeine driven night that leaves you in need of a week-long vacation.

Another way to avoid burnout is to be aware of what you need to study and what you don’t. My excited, first-year college personality insisted upon studying the material that I already knew by heart.

While reviewing the concepts can be beneficial you don’t need to study material you feel confident with. At times studying easier material can turn into a way to avoid working on the tough stuff, so kick aside the one plus one equation and tackle those logarithms with fervor.

Burnout is best friends with frustration and frustration comes about when we feel overwhelmed. If you are feeling overwhelmed by an assignment or study guide then ask for help.

There is a tutoring center available to WSU students in the Student Services building. A variety of subjects are offered and times are flexible to meet the needs of your schedule.

If you find yourself needing help beyond tutoring, ask your professor and explain your frustration. Professors are understanding but only when they know what is going on. The professor won’t know that you aren’t getting it, unless you tell them.

So study a little each day, and yes it is okay to miss a day now and again, and reduce the stress from your upcoming exams. Even if all you do is read over your notes for the day, skim a few pages of text or watch a short powerpoint presentation you will be better off in the long run.

Last, but not least, remember that it is okay to skip a day of studying. Honestly, some of my best study sessions have been after I have given my brain a day or two of rest. As long as those breaks don’t turn into weeks of ignoring a growing pile of new information then you will be fine.