College can be the best years of your life, but it also may be where you spend a lot of time sobbing over your textbook and cramming for a test. Finals are quickly approaching at the University of New Haven, so here are some study tips to help students get through finals in one piece.

1. Use Flash Cards
Flash cards may give you flashbacks to middle school, but they come in handy. Writing things down and studying from them will help your brain remember. There are more scientific reasons behind the benefits of flashcards as well. According to Brainscape, when studying with flashcards you are trying to remember the answer on the back by looking at the term on the front. This means your brain is engaging in something called active recall, meaning you are attempting to learn the content from square one. This way of studying has been known for creating stronger neuron connections for the memory recall. Better recall equals better grades. Kaelea Caporuscio, a junior majoring in psychology with a concentration in forensics, also suggest using flashcards. “I usually use flashcards with quizlet and what I do is that I create my own connections.” Caporuscio said. Caporuscio has worked for the university’s writing center for 3 semesters now.

2. Take Breaks
Studying can get to you if you let it. Studying for long periods of time can definitely make your brain feel fried. This is why taking breaks is extremely important. Caporuscio said, “Take breaks…study from start time to end time when you are learning a new concept.”
According to Oxford Learning, limit your study breaks to no longer than 10-15 minutes. Taking small breaks every 50 minutes to an hour can be beneficial to studying. Make sure you are not sitting for a long time, as this can decrease productivity.

3. Ask Questions!
For those familiar with learning, this may seem like an obvious concept to studying. Many students don’t ask questionsforin fear they may seem incompetent. Asking the professor questions or hiring a tutor is an important aspect of studying. Megan Galante a senior majoring in criminal justice, said, “Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Professors are there to help you and prefer you asking questions rather than failing their test.”