Studying for your college finals is rarely fun or easy, and that’s especially true if you are studying in your second (or third or fourth) language.

Luckily, finals at many colleges and universities are still a few weeks away, and that gives you time to get ready. Most college students have no classes next Thursday and Friday because of the Thanksgiving holiday. This four-day weekend is the perfect time to start studying for your college finals.

1. Review your notes. Highlight important terms, ideas and concepts if you haven’t done so already. You also can circle the sections that you want to review further before finals.

2. Know important keywords. Make sure you are comfortable using and explaining the words that are in bold in your textbook.

3. Create study cards. Write practice test questions on one side of a piece of paper or recipe card, and put the answer on the back. After you have reviewed the questions several times, you can separate the cards and concentrate on the questions that are most difficult for you.

4. Study your midterm questions and essays. Not only will this help you review the major points, but sometimes professors repeat the same questions on their finals.

5. Attend study sessions. Some professors will hold special review sessions before college finals. Who better to prepare you for the final than the person who actually wrote it?

You want to be well-rested and relaxed during your college finals. That means you should begin studying weeks — not days and certainly not hours — before your finals. Good luck!

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