Notes, flash cards, books and night-before cram sessions, Bakersfield College students are getting ready to take their finals.
“I have five finals; I’m going to cram my studying in last minute,” said Mario Guzman, undeclared major.
When taking finals everyone has two goals, passing the finals and doing so with the least stress possible.
“I made note cards to study; I’m going to pull an all-nighter the night before,” said Tessa Jennings.
For those students who prefer all-nighters the night before, there are some negatives you should consider.
According to the American Academy of Sleep medicine (AASM), the best way to maximize performance on final exams is to both study and get a good night of sleep. “New research highlights the importance of sleep in learning and memory,” said Dr. Lawrence Epstein, member of the AASM board of directors. “Students getting adequate amounts of sleep performed better on memory and motor tasks than did students deprived of sleep.”
All-nighters doesn’t affect BC student Omar Renteria. “We go over the material in class every week. I have a cram session the night before; it works great for me,” he said.
Not everyone is pulling all-nighters.
“I have two finals and a project. I attend class, study the notes and look over the syllabus,” said Paul Lopez, science and business major.
The majority of students interviewed said that they prefer study groups, but tend to study by themselves because their schedules prevented them from making it to the study group.
“I have four finals. I read over the material and notes. Study groups are always a plus when they are available,” said Elease Wolley, a BC student.
BC student Joaquin Vasquez said, “When I study, I try to study with someone smarter than myself. As for the upcoming finals, I’m going to wing it.”