Christmas is upon us, but before we celebrate and be merry, we have to deal with the stress of exams. Yes, this means that all the reading that you were supposed to do will actually need to be done, and the season of stress eating and not thinking about your appearance has arrived.
However, as your exam fairy god mother, I have 5 life hacks to help you succeed during exam season!
Have a routine
The act of creating a schedule or a to-do list compartmentalizes everything, so that it doesn’t seem as overwhelming. It gives you a guideline to start, and helps you use your time more efficiently.
Try the Pomodoro Technique
If you have not heard of it, the Pomodoro technique is a time management technique that allows you to work in time intervals of either 25 or 30 minutes. This is great for people who dread the idea of sitting still for long periods of time. Using the technique,you can study and then take a break or switch up activities every 25/30 minutes.
Chew Gum
According to a study conducted at the University of Northumbria in Newcastle, chewing a particular flavour gum while you study and then chewing the same flavour while you take the exam makes you more likely to recall what you have studied.
Eat healthy and drink water
Exam time is always stressful, but if you aren’t eating healthy and taking care of yourself, you increase your chances of getting sick, feeling tired and having constant headaches. Contrary to popular belief, red bull is not a food category. Switch it up and stay hydrated by drinking lots of water and eating healthy. This will not only improve your overall mood and energy level, but it also improves your brain functioning.
Erase your social
Social media can be a huge distraction, especially because It can provide an escape from not wanting to do something, like studying. Because desperate times call for desperate measures, it’s time to save you from yourself and your timeline. Apps like ShutApp-Digital Detox or OFFTIME help you to stay away from your phone during prescheduled hours, so that you can focus on studying.
Last minute reading
For those who have a ton of journal articles to read in a short time, a study hack would be to read the introduction and conclusion thoroughly and then scan the body of the text. This doesn’t mean that you’ll have a full understanding of everything that the paper is saying, but you will have an idea of the argument the author is making as well as the findings of the article. This is way better than not reading it at all. It’s also the most efficient way to get through all the readings that have piled up.
Good luck on exams everyone! You can do it!