What Should I Do to Prepare Tests and Final Exams!?

As Fall semester comes to an end, it also means the beginning of Final Exams. Often, many students study at the last minute or drink coffee all day to stay all night to prepare for the tests. All of which are bad habits. Let’s discuss good study habits so that you stay healthy and get the best results!

1. Keep up with your work!

If you attend classes regularly, keep up with readings, and take notes conscientiously, studying can be easy and fun. Make sure to review and practice those extra questions regularly throughout the semester. Many students find that preparing for an individual class for 60-90 minutes per day, five or six days per week, will give them well-prepared and confident to take the exam.

2.Don’t cram everything at the last minute!

Instead of drinking coffee or caffeine drinks, try studying for 60-90 minutes per day for a week prior to the exam dates. pulling off all-nighters simply won’t help most people, and students experience declining returns on their efforts when they attempt to study for 4 to 6 hours straight.

3. Complete those practice exams!

There are many subjects you may have to prepare such as science, math, history, foreign language, and many other. There are many textbooks that contain hundreds of questions at the end of the chapters that never get answered and often times, teachers may use those questions. Try to complete those mock exams 3 or 4 days before an exam, you’ll then know where to focus your studying.

4. Get away from social media, phone, and other things while studying!

Set aside time to study in advance and try to turn off your phone, social media, music with lyrics and etc. Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and other social media can be very distracting but at the same time very entertaining. Try to shut it off while you’re studying for your exams and get back to it once you have completed all your tests.

5. Go visit your professor’s or TA’s office hours with outstanding questions!

There are reasons why the professor’s and TA’s have their office hours. They are there to assist and answer any questions that you may have and try to ensure you have understood the materials. Prior to seeing them, give yourself a mock test in advance, and ask the questions that you were not able to answer.

6. Find a group of dedicated students with whom to study!

Often studying in a group of students can help you review materials that you may have missed studying or answer the questions that you may not know. Compare notes, ask each other questions, explain ideas to one another, and discuss possible questions that the professor may include in the exams. Make sure to set an agenda and a specific time frame so that your work together doesn’t get off-track.

7. Make sure to get plenty of sleep!

Studying is important, however, sleeping hours are often the time when students synthesize information. Getting plenty of sleep allows you to be as fresh as possible and able to fully engage working memory when you take the exam.

8. Develop a good habit of eating healthy breakfast!

Get a bit of physical exercise, even if it’s a brief stretch and eat a healthy breakfast. It’s important not to take the exam on an empty stomach because your memory won’t be functioning as well as you think. Thus, make sure to have good and healthy breakfast.

9. Reward yourself after the exams are done!

If you’re studied conscientiously for a week or more, you deserve a well rest and relax. Go have fun with your friends, go watch a movie, and sleep in if you want to. Congratulations making through the Fall 2017 semester. Well done students!