With exam season literally just round the corner, plenty of students have been focusing very heavily on what to study and most importantly how to study for the upcoming exams.
While we are always told to revise, study and research, we are often not told how to actually do all of these things efficiently.
But today we will be giving you five tips that we think will help you get through those hectic study sessions!
1
Space out your study sessions
Leaving everything for the final day before a big exam is never a good idea.
Make sure to space out the time that you are spending studying the material, as if you decide to study everything in one go, then you will often end up getting tired or distracted very easily, resulting in you losing your focus.
While spacing out your sessions might mean that you’ll forget some material from one session to the next, this repeated focus on certain aspects will help you remember everything better next time for sure.
2
Avoid simply rereading books and notes
Whenever we are told to study, the first thing that comes to mind is always rereading books and notes taken at home or during class.
However, numerous studies have found that this is a common bad study skill that students make use of.
Instead of just rereading texts, try to take short notes while reading, and then compile these notes, adding case studies and applications to the material that you covered that is unique and relevant to you, enabling you to understand everything on your own terms.
3
Test yourself
One of the best ways to test your knowledge of a subject and be fully prepared for an exam is to try and quiz yourself.
This can be done in different ways, such as through simple decks of flash cards that have questions and answers on the subject that you are covering, which are prepared a few hours before you actually use them, or else by pairing up with another classmate and asking each other questions.
Make sure to use this especially when it comes to definitions, as a simple question and answer format helps make certain terms understandable.
4
Find examples
Abstract concepts are often difficult to completely understand, and so associating them to something that you can relate to can create a clearer mental image.
Try to use real-life examples that can easily be remembered and that are parts of your daily life.
Additionally, certain examples can also prove helpful to use in the exam itself, with this allowing you to explain yourself much more.
5
Plan everything out with a clear routine
This is probably the most crucial tip of all.
Plenty of students know that they should space out their study periods, find examples and apply all of the other study tips, but they tend to fail to plan ahead.
Try to plan what you will be studying for the week ahead, and make sure to stick to a clear routine, setting the time and place where you will be studying, whether at home, at the library or at a common area at the University.
This might be tedious and odd at first, but as you get into the swing of things, it becomes extremely helpful, and it ensures that you get everything done in time.
Also, try to allocate enough time from your schedule to sleep and rest, as having a good sleeping pattern is vital when it comes to focusing and having a clearer mindset while you are working.
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