Student Care Network offers resources for finals

The Student Care Network, in collaboration with a variety of campus partners, offers resources, tips and strategies to help students prepare for their final exams and projects.  

Academic Well-being and Finals Prep Resources

• Center for Student Wellbeing Drop-In Coaching 
  • Meet with a CSW coach to discuss concerns about your academic success, including stress management, time management, organization skills and positive coping strategies.  
  • Drop-in Coaching will end on April 24.

• Writing Studio 
  • At the Writing Studio, you have the opportunity to meet individually with trained consultants to discuss any writing project or concern. 
• STEM Tutoring 
  • Meet with a talented staff of tutors, either individually or in a group setting, who will help you enhance your academic performance through the power of collaborative learning. 
  • Tutoring staff are qualified to tutor many introductory- and intermediate-level courses in: 
    • Biological Sciences 
    • Chemistry (General & Organic) 
    • Economics 
    • Mathematics 
    • Neuroscience 
    • Physics 
  • The School of Engineering offers virtual STEM tutoring through the Penji Tutoring App for all undergraduate students, regardless of school.  
• Graduate and Postdoc Academic Success program 
  • The GPAS program assists graduate students and postdoctoral scholars in their academic and professional development during their time at Vanderbilt. This program was created to support students and postdocs through collaborative consultations and group programming around effective time and stress management, resilience, conflict resolution, navigating academic relationships and juggling work/life responsibilities. 
• English Language Center 
  • The ELC offers resources for multilingual students to help you achieve the most from your Vanderbilt experience. Programming includes one-on-one consultations for speaking, pronunciation and writing. 
• Student Access  
  • We encourage you to reach out to Student Access if you feel that you may need accommodations for upcoming exams.  
• UCC Drop-In Consultations  
  • The UCC provides easy access to informal, confidential and free consultations with clinicians and offers another space where students can receive support around test-taking strategies, task prioritization and sleep hygiene. 
    • Many of the UCC Drop-in Consultations are identity-based and/or meet specific presenting concerns.  
  • Drop-in Consultations will end on May 12.

Tips for Exam Preparation

• Make a plan: The feeling of being overwhelmed by final exams and papers can often make doing any of the work seem impossible. Start by making a list of everything you need to do and when it has to happen, and then map out a daily plan to get it done. Be specific to the day, but not to the minute. Consider campus resources above that can help you not only make the plan, but follow it. 
• Spaced practice: When you’re making this plan, remember that breaking up study time is more effective for learning than working in large chunks. So, rather than spending five hours the day before an exam, consider an hour a day each day leading up to it. Obviously, your specific numbers will vary. We also tend to learn more deeply by moving among several topics in a single study session, rather than focusing on just one thing for a long time, and by changing up the order each time those intermingled topics are reviewed. 
• Don’t lose track of well-being behaviors: Sleep is not wasted time. Sleep is when your brain consolidates all of that learning you’re doing—and only when you’re well-rested will you have access to retrieve all of it. Maintain your usual exercise routine. Reserve time to connect with family and friends too—even if it’s virtually. Continue to eat three balanced meals a day to keep your energy up. Excess sugar and caffeine can cause crashes, so try to consume them in moderation. These practices fuel us through challenging times. 
• Make a plan for your written assignments: When it comes to completing your final essay assignments for the semester, the Writing Studio’s advice is to give yourself enough time to finish a draft, set it aside for a bit, then read it over later with fresh eyes. If you have time, share it with a friend or schedule a Writing Studio appointment for feedback. If not, take the time to read the draft aloud to yourself. You might be surprised how much it helps! 

Additional Resources for Managing Test Stress

• CSW Meditation and Yoga 
• Headspace is a great resource available to Vanderbilt students to help reduce stress, improve focus, improve sleep and engage in mindful movement exercises. 
• The Rec Center offers several ways to get active, including: 
• Group fitness 
• Dance classes 
• Weekly exercise challenges