Writing exams? Study these tips and techniques!
Let’s be honest – exams are super-stressful! There’s a mountain of work to study, endless information to remember, and practical subjects to practice… The good news is, it really doesn’t have to be so bad. You can take most of the stress out of exams with a bit of forward planning and some common sense.
Here are a few tips and techniques to help you make these your most relaxed exams yet!
Plan your time
Get yourself a weekly planner and record all of your exams, essays and prac dates. Figure out how much time you need to prepare properly for each of these. Schedule in your time commitments, such as lectures, lab work, tutorials, study groups, etc. Now work out blocks of study and prep time for each of your tests and book them on your calendar.
MIT (the famous Massachusetts Institute of Technology) offers this insight into organising your time for exam preparation…
Two approaches to studying three subjects over the course of two days
- Student A: Studies subject 1 from 4-6pm, subject 2 from 6.30-8.30pm, and subject 3 from 9-11pm on Monday; and then studies subject 3 from 4.30-6.30pm, subject 1 from 7-9pm, and subject 2 from 9.30-11.30pm on Tuesday.
- Student B: Studies subject 2 from 9.30pm on Monday until 2am on Tuesday, subject 1 from 5.30-9.30pm, and subject 3 from 9.30pm on Tuesday until 2.30am on Wednesday.
Each student completes four hours of study in three subjects, but Student A has more options. If she has difficulty in any of her subjects on Monday, she could follow up with the teacher or fellow students on Tuesday. In the meantime, she will have made some progress in her other work.
Student B is in a more difficult situation, as he faces long study sessions and less opportunity for follow-up. While both students will have done six hours of studying by 11.00pm on Tuesday, Student B will likely be more tired and stressed, and unfortunately he still has work to do.
Planning your time efficiently will make a positive difference to your exam experience!
Create a distraction-free study environment
Create a comfortable study area where you can lay out all your study materials, read and write, etc. Make sure your desk setup, including your chair, is ergonomically supportive so that your back and neck are not strained. Sitting in an armchair or lying on a bed may be comfortable but tend to lull you into a sleepy, unproductive frame of mind!
You’ll make studying much easier for yourself by working in a distraction-free environment. That means turning off your cellphone, your computer (unless you’re using it for your preparation), the TV, the radio, and anything else that will affect your concentration.
Look after your health
It’s tempting to live off chips, chocolate, sweets, and take-aways when you’re spending extended periods of time studying. The problem with these is that they give your mind and body very little nutrition. They also interfere with your concentration and make you tired and lethargic in the long run. A healthy diet (including fruit, vegetables and protein) will help you to focus and study much more efficiently. Eating well is a great way to get more quality studying done in less time!
It’s important to stay hydrated while you’re studying. Drink water and stay away from caffeinated, sugary drinks.
If you want to think clearly and remember what you’ve learnt when you write your exams, make sure you’re well-rested and getting enough sleep. Studies recommend six to eight hours of sleep the night before a test.
When you plan your study schedule, book time for exercise. Exercise keeps your body functioning optimally and helps to clear your mind. It’s also a good stress-buster!
Stimulants like caffeinated drinks, junk food, and ‘study drugs’ that keep you awake do you no favours when studying for exams. The energy surge is short-lived and the ingredients unhealthy. These kinds of energy boosts are likely to do you (and your results) more harm than good, as they tend to leave you feeling drained after the initial ‘high’.
Advice for acing your exams
Oxford University offers this general advice to its students:
- Don’t procrastinate
- Eat properly
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Get exercise – research shows that people learn better if they take physical as well as mental exercise- Revise when you’re at your best
- Take regular breaks during revision and during these breaks reflect upon what you’ve learned
- Switch topics / tasks periodically to avoid getting bored
- If you’re not making progress on a particular topic, take a break / switch topics and come back to it
- Work away from distractions – music, television, mobile phone, etc.
- Be prepared to adjust your revision schedule – this is quite normal and you haven’t failed just because everything hasn’t gone to plan!
- It may be useful to do some of your work with a revision partner – but make sure you work during these sessions…
- Don’t spend time with people who may introduce any extra and unhelpful stress.
Wise words! Do you have any useful exam advice, or secret tricks that help you study? Let us know in the comments!
