Study Time: Tips for getting it done at the last minute

Getting ready for exams can be a stressful process when you waited until the last minute to look over your notes. The best way to get prepared for an exam is to just relax, take a breath and try one of these simple studying techniques.

  1. Time management

School days can be busy, especially when you’re a full-time student, going to work, with extracurricular activities. Within a week, the average college student spends 3.3 hours a day engaging in academics, 8.7 hours sleeping and 4.1 hours of leisure, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Pulling an all nighter is not the way to pass an exam. The best way to prepare for an exam is to give your brain some rest and start anew. Trying to study large amounts of information at one time will not get the job done. Try making a schedule or calendar for all your major exams. The next day, take 30 minutes out of your day to read your notes to clarify.

        2. Memorization and Repetition

When you’re preparing for your exam, find a method for memorizing the information. Some students might have an auditory learning style, which means music would be a good tool. Music itself doesn’t have an effect on test score, however, it can be used to help you work faster.

Right before your exam, take a final glance at your notes. Make sure that you understand all of the concepts. If you get stuck on a topic, try writing it down on a sheet of paper. Repetition helps you commit to the information. Once you do something long enough, it sticks to your memory. Find a classmate and practice memorizing information for your exam.

       3. Confidence

You’re the only person holding yourself back from success. Everyone has a different learning style, which means the same studying methods that work for you, might not work for someone else. Confidence is a form of self motivation. If you pay attention in class while taking good notes, there’s no way that you should fail a test. Find a quiet place, grab a classmate and study the right way.

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Don’t forget these steps for the day of your test:

  1. Relax, and get plenty for rest, try not to stay out late the night before an exam
  2. Grab a good meal
  3. Find a quiet place to go over the exam material
  4. Try to focus on complicated material
  5. Have confidence, if you pay attention in class there’s nothing to worry about