As finals approach, we often reflect on past exam periods when sleep was optional, caffeine became our main source of energy, and meals consisted mainly of protein bars or quick snacks grabbed on campus. And, of course, we all promised ourselves, “This time will be different”. Today, I want to share the ten most important tips for effective studying and practical strategies that busy college students can implement.
Tips for Before the Exam Day Approaches
This could be two weeks in advance, one week, or a couple of days — honestly, it’s just whatever works best for you.
1. Make a Schedule
Making a schedule is one of the most important steps when it comes to prepping for exams. There’s nothing worse than realizing you have no clue how to go about studying for an upcoming exam or that what you have tried so far has never been beneficial.
So, first, take 5 minutes to write out your schedule for the week. Find times when studying will truly benefit you and put them in your phone’s calendar. Because let’s be honest, we don’t want to sit down and write out a study schedule only to forget it when it comes time to implement it.
2. Passive Studying
Passive studying is one of the most effective ways to remember your study material. This includes listening to the lecture, reading notes, reviewing pre-made study guides, etc. Because I know we all have limited time to sit down and cover notes, you can passively study while you sit on the bus, wait for that class to start, or in a passing period. This helps us get familiar with the information before we truly have to sit down and memorize/understand the material.
3. Teach Someone Else
Teaching someone else (active studying) is my personal favorite way to study for exams. It’s also You can explain the material to a roommate or your sibling, or even just talk to your phone like you have called someone. Explain it in whatever way works best for you; this could be explaining it like you are telling a child, your classmate asking a question, or someone who has no information about the subject. This helps you to recall information better after reciting it orally in a way that makes sense to you, which you could record and later refer to when needed.
4. Balance
Balance is one of the most important things before the exam day. Balance means taking time for yourself, especially when going outdoors or spending time with family or friends. You need a breather in your day. Otherwise, the information eventually seems all the same, and your mood slowly decreases from nothing but looking at papers with information and that computer screen. Make sure you are taking enough time for yourself while also making sure you are working at a good pace. This can relate to the schedule I referred to earlier; you could elaborate on it in your free time and follow that to ensure that balance is kept.
5. Don’t Cram!!!!
Last but not least, DON’T CRAM! Cramming most of the time will not benefit you in the long run. Even if you swear you are a pro at cramming, you will eventually forget the information you have learned all semester and wear your brain out at the last moment, hoping to pass the exam. Plus, many classes we take build over time, so cramming now definitely won’t benefit you for later classes. Avoiding cramming helps us keep good study habits while ensuring we retain the information we have been covering and don’t need to relearn it all at the last minute.
Tips for the Night Before/Day of the Exam
6. Checklist
Making a checklist for what you need on the exam is so helpful and should usually be done the night before the exam. Things to include on the list are things like making sure you have the right materials for the next day (ex., Chargers for computers/calculator, pencils, erasers, water, calculator, student ID), food and water beforehand, and having the right notes (if it is open note). This helps to make sure you don’t have an oh crap moment when you are running out the door that morning and realize you forgot something important for the exam or forgot to pack lunch.
7. Sleep
Always remember to get a good night’s sleep, which I know can be better said than done. So many nights are spent staying up way to late (often into the day of your exam), but really try to prioritize sleeping about 8 hours the night before. Sleep deprivation never benefits you on the exam, leading to poor critical thinking and a lack of retained information. To try and prioritize this, you can set an alarm for, say, 8 pm that tells you to start getting ready for bed in the next few hours, then put away your phone and do something like read a book. The key is doing something relaxing that doesn’t require blue light.
8. Eat
Make sure to eat something filling and at least somewhat healthy on the day of. There’s nothing worse than being in a dead-silent room taking an exam while your stomach announces to the room you haven’t eaten (from personal experience). Try to make or buy a meal with at least one fruit or vegetable that isn’t entirely carbs or sugar. Because even though Panda Express sounds like a great idea before the exam, it may make you feel bloated, sick, tired, etc. and no one wants to deal with that while trying to lock in on the exam. Things like a wrap, salad, or sandwich (anything with green, leafy vegetable really) are most likely your best bet to feel good, have energy, and be full before you walk into the exam room.
9. Caffeine
I personally have caffeine most mornings, so if you’re like me, don’t decide on the morning of the exam; today’s the day you want to quit drinking caffeinated drinks. This can lead to you being extra tired and having a headache, so wait to do that caffeine detox till a day that doesn’t require you to take an exam. However, if you don’t drink caffeine but know that you will be tired when it comes time to take the exam, try taking a healthy, low-caffeine option to help boost your energy but not make your heart beat out of your chest. Good recommendations are matcha, refreshers from Starbucks, a soda like Dr. Pepper or Pepsi, tea, or something similar. And if you truly don’t drink caffeine, just take the safe route and don’t drink it the day of the exam.
10. Practice
Lastly, I would try to make some time on the day of the exam to practice. This should include the easy last-minute covering of all your studies, such as flash cards, whatever study guide you made, Quizlet, etc. Suppose your exam is sadly at 8 am. In that case, I’d recommend just doing a quick skim of those study materials before leaving your house, but if you have the exam later in the day, try to take about an hour (if you can) just to refresh your memory on the most important details by practicing what you know, and if an hour isn’t possible just spend a few minutes like when your on the bus or waiting in line for something to cover what you can because some practice is better than no practice.
And remember, if some of these options don’t work for you, you can always ask a friend, parent, or professor for tips that have worked for them!
This wraps up my exam and study tips and tricks, which I hope will help you do better, feel better, and prepare better for that exam.