Being a student means one thing; there are going to be exams at one point. Some of you may have already started preparing for January and it’s not even Halloween yet. That’s really great! The rest of you that may feel anxious and leave studying for the very last minute, rest assured. I have got some tips and tricks you can follow to maximize your chances of success.
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| Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay |
Make a list. Oh have I not said that before? It might be extremely tempting to want to cram as much information as you can first thing, but this won’t do you any good if you don’t know where to start and what to focus on. Remember! You have a limited amount of time and lots of information and references. You have to carefully plan out and prioritize what absolutely needs to be learnt and revised and what wouldn’t hurt to leave out. So, spend 5-10 minutes at the beginning of your revision to efficiently spread out your whole studying. Check out my article on lists if you want any help with that.
Review your summaries instead of the entire textbook. Let’s be realistic. You can’t possibly study the whole syllabus when there is little time left. But, try this. First, go over your summaries one by one. These cover the whole syllabus but mostly in bullet points. Next, make a note of those sections you feel most unprepared for. Start your deep studying from there. Then, look through the rest of your notes and summaries to freshen up your memory on the parts that have already sunk in.
Use all the help you can get. Ask anyone around you who is willing to help you. I mean it. An excellent way of truly understanding something is being able to explain it to others. Ask a friend or even your sister or brother. This way, you will easily spot any weaknesses and gaps to review later.
Set up the perfect conditions. No phone, no digital distractions and no more than 2 cups of coffee per day. Clean up your desk! Set up the perfect office area for you. If you study with music, put some concentration music on! If you prefer your peace and quiet, find a place where you won’t be disturbed by anyone and anything. Also, drink lots of water to stay hydrated while you study. Hydration equals concentration! If you are thinking of pulling an all-nighter the night before the exam, don’t. Best case scenario, you will be sleep-deprived and your focus will be poor the day of the test.
Take a break. That sounds odd right? You have very little time but my advice is to take a break? Yes, it is. Breaks are vital if you want to make the most out of your revision, out of any revision to be honest. It’s giving time to your brain to sort out each piece of information and make space to be able to retain some more. 15-minute breaks every couple of hours can make a huge difference.
Well, these were my tips. As you see there is still hope at the end of the tunnel. I would be happy to hear what your techniques are when it comes of last-minute studying. Comment down below and share this article with a friend.
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