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Finals week is approaching and each of us is a bit stressed about being able to cope with all that information we need to know for the exams. Fortunately, there are experts out there that know how to study productively.
1. Remember that it is important to be relaxed when you want to start your study session.
If you will be relaxed, your mind will take in more information than if you’ll be under stress. Also, keep in mind that prolonged stress can damage your mind and health, so it is very important to think about reducing it during the exam period.
2. Don’t miss the review session!
In review session classes, professors often include some questions that will appear on the test or stress the topics that you should pay more attention to. Even if they aren’t being direct, you can look at their paralanguage, eye movements, facial expressions and gestures. If they are talking about a very important point, they will speak in a slow and low voice, make direct eye contact with the audience, or raise and move their hands.
3. Make sure you plan your time.
You should note when each of your finals are in a planner or calendar on your phone, so you don’t forget anything. Also, plan the time you have for studying and set time limits. Having an exact time slot to do something will make you more motivated to get things done and you will stick to your schedule more easily.
4. Look at previous tests.
If you have access to an example of the exam, like a pretest or a test from a previous year, look at it carefully. It might give you a good idea of what to expect and what type of questions you should prepare for.
5. Sleep!
Remember to get enough sleep after you study because the idea of remembering something better after you “sleep on it” actually works.
6. Revision.
There are two types of revision – passive and active. Common ways of passive revision are reading notes, copying out notes, putting notes on the computer and highlighting. These activities are considered passive because they don’t involve much thinking and your mind is not working in the process. You are much more likely to remember something if you use active revision when studying. Active revision means that you reproduce the information in some way. This type of revision includes writing index cards, annotating texts, mind mapping and repeating the notes out loud.
7. Trick your memory!
There are many fun ways you can trick your memory into memorizing facts that just don’t stay in your head.
Sketching is an example. Let’s say you have to remember four things a historical person accomplished. You can sketch this person and symbols that you would associate with those four things around him. Putting everything in one frame and the process of sketching will save the facts in your head.
A list of words is another way to trick your memory. If you have to memorize a list of words, a great way is to make a sentence using words that start with the same letters as the words in your list. Make a funny sentence or phrase that is easy to remember, and once you’ll think of it on the test, you’ll recall the list of words immediately. You can also make one word out of the first letters of the terms on your list. Another way is to make a silly story involving all of the words.
To remember numbers or years, see if they contain numbers that you can associate with something. For instance, if you need to remember the year 1921, associate it with 21, which is the coming of age.
Hopefully, these tips will make your finals week stress-less and struggle-free! Good luck!
Works cited
Tracy, Eileen. Student’s guide to exam success. McGraw-Hill Education, 2006, pp. 33-103. ProQuest, https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/lib/drexel….
Sherratt, Patrick. Passing Exams for Dummies. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2013, pp. 87-117. ProQuest, https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/lib/drexel….