With midterms coming up it is easy to get stressed out. Take a deep breath. You won’t fail. You won’t need to drop out and you won’t live with your parents forever. Before you have your next mental breakdown of the semester, pump the breaks and utilize these study tips!
1. Find your place
A good place to study and do homework can make all the difference. Whether it be in the library, a local coffee shop, or the desk in your room, having one place that your brain knows “this is my study place” is very important. Creating this environment get’s you in the zone faster and has you working smarter. Pro tip: get some motivational decorations to get you going even more!
2. Do not cram. I repeat: DO NOT CRAM!!!
Cramming is literally the worst way to study for a test. There is usually so much information that you need to know. Trying to fit it all in the night before never really works, unless you’re some sort of genius with a photogenic memory. For the rest of us though, it is best to start actively studying for a test a week before you take it. A good idea for preparing this way is to go back through your notes and lecture slides and re-write things you think will be good to know.
3. Color coding is KEY
One thing that is always helpful is color coding. Whether you’re an organizational guru or not, color coding is definitely the way to go. When you’re in class taking notes, use one color highlighter for each different class (i.e., pink for Psych, orange for History, green for Bio). This is helpful because when you write and highlight in whichever color class you’re in, your brain picks up the differences. It is easier to recall when you are studying because it is all distinct. As opposed to using one color for all classes, it allows your brain to distinguish between information more easily. Going over important words with the colored highlighter while you are taking notes also helpful for remembering it’s orientation on the page which can lead to an easier time remembering the information on a test. Using a pen that is the same color as the highlighter to write down assignments for the respective class is also helpful for not only remembering to do an assignment for a class, it also reinforces the class’s distinct color.
4. If you don’t have one already, get yourself a planner
There’s a reason you see everybody using a planner. It’s not just because they are a cute accessory, although that definitely makes it better. They are so useful for remembering due dates and upcoming assignments. Have you ever told someone you’d meet up and then totally forgot about it? Write it in your planner. Have you ever totally spaced on homework and ended up rushing through it an hour before its due? WRITE IT DOWN. What tends to happen with people is that in the moment, they think they will remember something so they don’t write it anywhere or put it in their phone or anything. Your brain keeps track of so many different things that it’s easy for it to lose track.
5. Look at your notes the same day you took them
Research has shown that if you take notes and revisit them in the same day, the information sticks better. A good way to get in the routine of doing this is to allow yourself some time each night before you go to sleep to read through the notes from that day. Not only does this become habitual, it forces the information from short-term to long-term memory more easily. This method has been proved to be more successful than when you only look at notes when you take them and then not again until you start studying for the test.
6. Take breaks
One way to increase understanding of material is to take small, frequent breaks when studying. If you read for half an hour, take a five minute break. Get up and walk around to get the blood flow moving. Another good idea is to change it up. If you’ve been reading for a long time, try writing for a bit. If you’ve been writing for awhile, try reading for a bit. A change in material intake can also be very important! Breaks also give you more understanding of what you’re studying. If you know you only have half an hour, you are more likely to pay attention than if you didn’t have an end time. Taking breaks gives you a fresh perspective when you get back into it for a more effective study session.
7. Make temporary art
Not an artist? That’s fine. You don’t need to be. When you are studying, draw out the diagrams that your professor or book are emphasizing and hang it on your wall where you are sure to see it a lot. If you have a class with a lot of dates, it can be easy to lose track of them all. Make a timeline using different colors for names, dates, and important info about a person or event! Having information displayed on your walls will give you more exposure. Plus, if it’s hanging in your room, you’re likely going to want it to look pretty good. This means that you’re going to try harder which leads to even more understanding of material!
8. Don’t over do it
We all understand having a hard test or paper. Make sure you are keeping yourself above water! When you have a lot going on, make sure you are still scheduling in time for meals, exercising and hygiene! Yes, it will be easier to skip a meal or to skip the gym, but do it anyways. Do something that you will thank yourself for later!