Thanksgiving break has just barely ended, and we are thrown back into the reality of school. Not only are we coming back to classes and work, we are coming back to one of the most crucial times for most of our grades: exam week. Being tossed right into the high-stress world of exams is intimidating, especially after a nice small break for Thanksgiving and the loom of Christmas break upon us. It’s important to keep focused and on the right path for the next two weeks to keep up our grades. There are several scientifically identified ways to help reduce studying stress and keep up with one’s needs during this time of the year for us college students.
Reward Yourself with a Treat
Try the gummy bear on each paragraph trick when you’re feeling stumped about a subject in a textbook. This fun study hack can be duplicated in multiple ways. It can be as simple as the gummy bear technique, or you can give yourself a movie night if you make it through all of your study lessons. Finish memorizing those flashcards? Go for a shopping trip to splurge a little extra on yourself. These little incentives will enhance your attention while studying to improve results on your finals.
Relay What You’ve Learned
Not only does memorizing the material for a subject on your own help you, but teaching what you’ve learned to someone else can increase your ability to retain information. Sit down a friend or a roommate and explain the material to them as if you were the professor. Trying to make them understand the subject is a good, repetitive way to recall material.
Study in Colors
When studying for an exam, bring out your inner child and all the colors of the rainbow to aid in your memorization process. It is proven that writing out subject material in a variety of colors can help stimulate your brain to understand topics more efficiently. For example, if you have a test on multiple chapters in a textbook then write out important study information for chapter 1 in the color red. Then move on to chapter 2 and write all of that information that is pertinent in the color blue. Not only does this help with studying, but it also makes for decorative notes!
Take Breaks
Short study breaks are crucial for your brains capacity to hold information. It gives your brain just enough time to recuperate in order to keep pushing forward in the study process. When you take a break do something nourishing for your brain for between 20 to 90 minutes. It is proven that 20 minutes is enough time to give yourself a quick rejuvenation, while 90 minutes is the next length that is long enough to refresh your brain if it is too fried. Take a quick 20-minute power nap, or a 90-minute catnap. Also, you could go for a quick jog or get a snack to nourish your brain cells!
Take a Walk Before an Exam
Put your highlighters and flashcards down for about 20 minutes to get a little exercise in. Sometimes a short walk before an exam will get your brain activated. This has been proven to increase your memory capacity and help your performance on exams.
Sources: ://www.examtime.com/blog/study-hacks/