Approaching the finish line —Map out the final weeks of term

A semester plan displays your due dates in one place and helps you remember when you have a due date coming up. These important dates are usually written down in different course schedules, so it can be hard to keep track of everything.

If you created a semester plan at the beginning of the term, review it to make sure it includes all of your final deadlines and exam dates. You may have received updates since you first made the schedule.

If you did not make a semester plan earlier this term, take some time to make a short version now. Watch this video for a quick explanation.

• How to create a semester plan in Excel
• Semester plan template (Excel)

A weekly schedule is a way to keep track of your activities and tasks for the week. A weekly schedule includes everything you have to get done, like classes and work. It also helps you see how much time you have available so you can plan when to work on assignments or study for exams.

You can create weekly schedules in Word, or you can use an online calendar like Outlook or Google Calendar. Watch the video below for instructions on creating a weekly schedule with our Weekly Schedule Word Template.

This plan is designed specifically to help you map out your upcoming exams and the time you will need to prepare for them. To create an end-of-semester plan:

1. List your courses/exams and write down how many hours you need to study for each one. Tip: for each 5% the exam is worth, plan to spend at least two hours studying (e.g. for an exam worth 15%, plan for 6 hours of studying).
2. Adjust your times. If a class is especially challenging, add extra time. If you find a class is easier, and you’re doing well in it, you can reduce the number of hours.
3. Start with a calendar template for the month and add in all of your exam dates, as well as the due dates for major assignments. Highlight these important dates.
4. Add in your study hours for each class, breaking the study time into chunks of 2-3 hours. Tip: Work backwards from your last exam to add to the study time.
5. Adjust your schedule as needed.

Try not to overload any days with super long blocks of studying, and make sure to give yourself some breaks.