For the average college student, midterms are not an enjoyable experience. Switching from energy drinks to emotional breakdowns, midterms will drive you insane without the proper physical and emotional preparation. But they don’t have to be the entire bane of your existence. With a consistent study plan and additional practice, you can ace any test you set your mind to. Here are some helpful study tips to knockout those dreadful exams.
- Start Early
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Strategic time management is everything when it comes to preparing for exam success. First, start off by deciding how many hours you want to study each week. Ideally, you should start preparing for a midterm exam about a week or two before the actual exam date. Next, make a specific study plan to decide which topics to study each day. Remember to reward yourself with short breaks and healthy snacks to energize yourself while studying. Try to stay organized by using a planner or the calendar app on your phone to stay accountable for your weekly time commitment.
- Find the Perfect Study Spot
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The environment you decide to study in is important. While it may be cute to study at an aesthetically pleasing coffee shop, the constant bustling of baristas and chatter from customers will not help you retain information. Consider a quiet study spot with limited distractions, such as the fourth or fifth floor of the library or All Knight Study.
- Use a Study Group
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Study groups can actually be very helpful when you’re not fooling around with your friends. Find a study partner in class or make a group through GroupMe to review problems you’ve missed on past assignments. Just remember to stay on track and focus on what needs to be done!
- Review What You Need to Know
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This one may seem very obvious, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve over studied for tests, only to miss the basic questions I should’ve focused studying on. You don’t need to study everything from A to Z when you’ve got half of the alphabet memorized. Understand what’s going to be on the test and study for that specifically. Don’t waste your time repeating things you already know. Take your time to tackle the challenging concepts first before you step back and look at the bigger picture.
- Use Outside Resources
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Never hesitate to ask for help when you need it! The UCF Student Academic Resource Center has great tools to help you study and even tutoring sessions you can attend for specific classes. Visiting your professor’s office hours for additional help can boost clarification and put you on the right track.
- Set Yourself Up for Sucess
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PSA: Cramming is NOT studying! Did you know that sleep helps you retain important information? Try to get enough sleep before the test and remember to have a healthy breakfast the next day.
- Believe in Yourself!
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Remember to relax and breathe! All of your studying is about to pay off on this test so you have to believe in yourself in order to succeed. I believe in you!
Always remember that a test will never define your intelligence or self-worth. You are more than a sheet of paper and one bad test grade does not determine your future. What’s important is that you never give up and that you always try your best.