Studying for exams and studying to truly understand concepts, while related, can be quite different. Exams primarily assess your memory. This means that even if you comprehend a concept but can’t remember it when it counts, you’re likely to struggle with the exam. So, it’s crucial to strike a balance between comprehension and memorization. In this blog, we’ll provide you with ten tips to thoroughly prepare for your exams. If you implement these strategies, there’s a guarantee that you’ll see improvements in your grades.
- Don’t Study While Hungry
Studying when you’re starving isn’t the smartest move. Sure, you might understand a few things, but they won’t stick around in your memory for long. Hunger can mess with your attention and brainpower. When you feed your brain the right nutrients, it’s like giving it a power boost. Without enough blood flow, your brain has to work extra hard and slower.
But here’s the deal: it doesn’t mean you should eat a quick meal and hit the books right away. You should wait about 20 to 30 minutes for your food to settle before diving into your study session. If you start studying right after eating, you’ll probably end up snoozing at your desk.
The point here is to grab a bite before studying to boost your focus.
2. Have the Intention to Ace Your Exams
Your intention matters when it comes to learning. It determines how you learn, understand, and store knowledge in your brain. It even affects how long you’ll stay reading and how much you’ll actually learn.
If you’re not clear about what kind of results you want to achieve, your study sessions won’t have that oomph they need. It’ll feel like you’re just going through the motions. Without a clear purpose, you won’t dedicate much time to studying, the material you grasp won’t be as deep or meaningful, your focus won’t be at its peak, and soon enough, you’ll forget what you’ve studied. That’s why intention is a big deal when it comes to studying. It gives your study time a real sense of purpose and meaning. So, be intentional.
3. Predict What Might Show Up in Exams
You’ve probably heard that knowing what not to do is just as important as knowing what to do. When exam time creeps in, forget about studying just for the sake of learning. It’s all about nailing those exams now. It won’t necessarily make you a genius in the subject for life, but it will get you the grades you want, and that’s the whole point of exams.
The time for pure learning is during the entire semester. This tip is for those who’ve already been hitting the books throughout the term and are gearing up for that final exam push. To make it work, avoid going over the same stuff repeatedly. Prepping for exams takes careful planning. Check out past exam papers, tackle your homework, and revisit your class notes to spot any tricky areas where you might not fully get it. Go through those topics and make sure you really understand them.
4. Say No to Passive Reading
When we’re studying, especially with those massive textbooks, we often fall into the trap of passively reading just to finish them on time. But here’s the kicker: that approach won’t cut it. You might get through the book, but you’ll retain next to nothing in your memory. This means you’ll end up having to read it all over again, and you won’t be creating any lasting memories. Some folks might think they’ve studied, but they’ll feel guilty for not really getting the book.
When you’re gearing up for a test, you need to imprint strong memories in your brain. The information has to stick so you can write it as accurately as possible on that exam paper. Don’t ever read something passively, hoping your own interpretation will magically form. Nope, that’s not the way to go. Read it with care and dive into it thoroughly.
If possible, take a paper and write down what you have read to make sure that you have it in your memory. Recite it. Talk about it to a friend. Do as much as possible to make sure that it is in your head.
5. Don’t Multi-task
It’s a common temptation to juggle multiple tasks while studying. But when it comes to exam prep, multitasking is riskier than ever. It tricks you into thinking you’ve studied when you really haven’t. You won’t realize it until you’re done and faced with the test.
Multitasking eats up valuable time that you could have used for focused studying or enjoying other activities without any nagging guilt. Instead of multitasking, give your full attention and time to the task at hand. Get it done and then reward yourself with whatever fun stuff you want to do. It’s way more effective and efficient. You’ll have studied effectively, and you can enjoy your leisure time without any lingering guilt.
6. Avoid Study Sessions with Distracting Friends
Studying with your best buddy isn’t always the smartest move, especially when exams are looming. Friends who love to chat end up getting caught up in conversations that have nothing to do with the task at hand. They’ll talk about hobbies, their significant others, what they could have done differently, their dreams, and all sorts of stuff that’s just a distraction when you’re trying to study for exams.
Instead of studying with your friends, it’s a better plan if you all agree to study separately. Then, later on, you can get together to quiz each other based on what you’ve studied. This is a great way to review because you’ll be asking questions and having some fun while recalling what you’ve learned. Even though there might be some distractions, you’ll likely cover most of what you need to know.
7. Schedule Procrastination Time
Let’s be real – procrastination sometimes creeps into college life, and it’s something I’ve definitely experienced. Some days, the last thing you want to do is hit the books. You might find yourself staring at the ceiling, feeling guilty about not studying, yet not actually making any effort to study. Strangely, the guiltier you feel, the longer you put off studying. It’s like you’re trying to beat procrastination by feeling bad about it, but that strategy doesn’t work. It just makes things worse.
So, here’s a trick: allocate some time specifically for procrastination. Give yourself permission to procrastinate without beating yourself up over it. This can actually reduce the overall time you spend procrastinating.
8. Get Plenty of Sleep
Sleep is seriously important. Some students, in their quest to work hard and be super productive, end up burning the midnight oil and waking up way too early. While this might make it look like you’re crazy busy, it’s actually not a very productive habit. You’re supposed to aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. If you’re more of a night owl, it’s better to go to bed later and wake up later, depending on your personality. But in general, hitting the sack and rising early is a smart move.
Research actually shows that students who consistently get enough quality sleep tend to get better grades. When you snooze, your brain sorts through all the info you’ve absorbed during the day and decides what to keep as memories. So, getting a good night’s sleep after a study session or test prep can help you remember the material and perform better on exams.
9. Create a To-Do List
A lot of folks end up wasting their day not because they’re lazy but because they can’t decide what to do. That’s where a To-Do list comes in clutch. It lays out exactly what you’ll tackle throughout the day. Plus, when you tick off every task at the end of the day, you get that satisfying feeling of being productive.
Now, it’s super important to keep your To-Do list as realistic as possible. Some folks make an epic list and then beat themselves up for not working hard enough, which can be a major motivation killer. Be honest with yourself about how tough your tasks are, and only put stuff on your list that you can actually accomplish.
Psychology research on goal-setting has shown that an unfinished goal can mess with your other tasks. It’s like this little nagging thing in the back of your mind. But making a plan, like jotting down steps on a to-do list, can help your brain set that goal aside and focus on other things. Goals are like these little beings inside you, and when they’re unfinished, they can weigh on your mind with anxiety or worry. They can affect how you see the world because they’re kind of pulling at your attention all the time, whether you realize it or not.
10. Polish Up Your Handwriting
Believe it or not, your handwriting can have a big impact on your grades. When your handwriting is neat and legible, your professor can easily read and grade your work. But if your handwriting is a mess, you could lose points. The important details that would normally stand out in a well-written paper might get lost in the scribbles. Remember, your handwriting is part of the exam preparation process.
Don’t leave anything to chance in the exam room. To earn the grades you deserve, write everything clearly and boldly.
Handwriting isn’t just about exams; it’s a crucial skill for language learning. It’s how your language performance gets judged and evaluated. Poor handwriting can drag down your overall academic performance.
Review
1. Don’t Study While Hungry
2. Have the Intention to Ace Your Exams
3. Predict What Might Show Up in Exams
4. Say No to Passive Reading
5. Steer Clear of Multitasking
6. Avoid Study Sessions with Distracting Friends
7. Schedule Procrastination Time
8. Get Plenty of Sleep
9. Create a To-Do List
10. Polish Up Your Handwriting
Good luck in your exams.
It’s a great lecture.
Thanks for reading, Daniel.