As a student, you have probably already realized how stressful it is to study at the last minute. The truth is, memorizing large amounts of information against the clock does no good either to your knowledge or mental health.
The best way to prevent oneself from binge studying is to start preparing for your midterms as early as possible. As a matter of fact, to make sure that you won’t spend the night before the exam cramming, you should study during the year. But don’t be quick to give up on this idea!
In this article, you’ll find some tips to follow throughout the academic term. These tips will help you get the most out of the studying process and get through your exams without any trouble.
Make a Study Schedule
Poor time-management is one of the most obvious reasons to study at the last minute. There are classes, friends and, of course, new episodes of a favorite show on Netflix or HBO. And to make matters worse, you might have a false feeling that there’s still plenty of time to prepare.
A study schedule will help you stay focused on your classes and manage your time effectively so that you can also socialize and rest. When creating such a schedule, be sure to include the exam dates in it. This way, you’ll see how much time you actually have and decide how many hours per day you need to devote to studying.
If you feel stressed about all the assignments that take up your time, think about turning to writepaper.com/ for help. This is an academic writing service that can take care of your papers for you. Use it to spare time for something more urgent and important.
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Review Your Class Notes Every Day
It’s good if you take notes during each class. It’s even better if you review these notes every day or at least every other day. This habit will come in handy when it’s time to take your exams, as you’ll easily recall what you have learned.
It’s natural that you can’t seem to remember everything that your professor has been teaching you during the whole semester. Yet, if you take notes and review them on a schedule, it might help you grasp the material better. The reason for that is that repetition helps people learn and remember better.
Evernote is a great note-taking app that will make the process easier and more enjoyable. It’s handy, as you can access your notes from any device, be it your laptop or smartphone. Besides, Evernote is a good solution for those students who often lose their notes or keep them in many different places.
Join a Study Group
Along with repetition, reproducing newly learned material works wonders for those who want it to stick. This is why it’s so important to organize or join an existing study group to hold discussions with other students.
One of the many benefits of study groups is that together, you can quickly find answers to the questions that you might have after a class. Besides, the chances that you’ll remember something after explaining it to others are higher than if you merely try to memorize it.
In a study group, you have the ability to quiz each other, practice reasoning, and play Kahoot! to make your exam prep more interactive and fun.
Review Past Exams
This practice is quite helpful for any student who wants to score high on their tests. If you have a chance, do take time to find past exams and train on them. This way, you’ll get used to the structure of questions and their peculiarities.
A good way to make use of the past exam papers is to set the same amount of time as the one you’ll have during a real test. By doing so, you’ll see if you can answer exam questions within the time limit.
To get ready for your exams, start reviewing the older versions as soon as possible. Forewarned is forearmed!
Meditate to Reduce Stress
Every student knows that examination periods are enormously stressful. Even if you have been preparing for your exams for the whole semester, you might still find yourself quite nervous.
To learn how to stress less, stay more focused, and enjoy your student life, install the app called Headspace. There is a student plan that will help you learn the basics of meditation and prepare for your exams without stressing yourself. A free alternative to Headspace is Oak; however, it’s only accessible on IOS devices.
Meditation is an effective tool to ease your mind. You can practice it during the academic year to feel positive about different study challenges and feel upbeat about your exams.
Wrapping Up
Even though intense studying during the year might sound like a no-no, it’s perhaps the most reliable option if you want to do well in your exams. So start preparing early!
Make use of a study schedule, your class notes, a study group, past exams, and regular meditation. They are your key to success during the exam preparation.
Good luck!
