Exams can never be ruled out from academic life, but they can change from being a cause of stress into an opportunity for success when prepared in the right manner. It becomes critical to learn the art of studying or to know how to study for exams.
No one is born intelligent. It is education, study and hard work that make us intelligent, and exams are just an opportunity to prove our intelligence and show our hard study to others!
While there are plenty of good study and exam tips on the internet, we would like to share some of the top study and exam tips, tactics, and even some exclusive tricks that really do work wonders for our students in getting the most out of their studies. We will help you in exam preparation through this step-by-step guide.
Keep Your Smartphone Shut
A smartphone is as dangerous as it is powerful. When it comes to distractions, nothing compares to a smartphone. Our WhatsApp is buzzing non-stop, then we have Facebook notifications and we still have to check who has liked our Instagram photo and retweeted our tweet! We spend hours on our phones without even realizing it, and we have all been there. Let’s not do that during exam time!
If you are preparing for exams or just studying normally, turn your phone off or simply put it on silent or do not disturb mode. This can save you hours. More importantly, it will help you concentrate better and use your study time more efficiently.
Create a Dedicated Study Space
Choose a place to study that is free from distractions. A quiet room, a library or a study corner at home can provide a good environment for concentration. Make sure your work area is well and comfortable.
Keep all your study materials within reach. This includes textbooks, notebooks, pens, highlighters, and any digital devices you might need. Having everything organized prevents wasted time searching for items and improves exam performance.
Create Study Plan
First of all, before you can pick up that book and get down to work on it, a study plan is in order. This not only keeps a proper schedule for study but also helps you have an overview of what’s due and when it’s due.
Jot down the names of the subjects and their topics; prioritize the study to be done for each subject; calculate the number of days remaining for the examination and make a strategic distribution of those days to each of the subjects; the times you will have each day for study; time for group study; and even breaks.
Sticking to a study plan will automatically save you a lot of time and energy that you would have unknowingly wasted worrying and panicking instead.
Read Completely and Make Short Notes
Thorough reading is a must to fully learn a subject. Read and compare with other information from different authors and sources. Taking short notes while studying increases our brain’s ability to remember what we have already learned by improving the flow of study.
Take Short Breaks
Our mind has infinite possibilities, but it also has its limits! If we study for hours on end, our brain is exhausted and needs a break. If we continue learning without a break, it slows down.
So don’t study for too long. Take frequent short breaks and infrequent long breaks to keep your mind sharp and boost your learning.
The human brain works best when it is given regular breaks. Researchers have proven that short learning intervals with regular breaks are more efficient.
Although there is no set rule for breaks, we recommend short breaks of between 60 and 90 minutes of study time. This will keep you energised and focused on your work.
Solve Previous Exam Papers
Once we have gone through the targeted syllabus or subjects, we should look at the examination papers from previous years. Not only will this help us realize how well prepared we are for the exam, but we will also get to know the nature and type of exam questions. It will help us find techniques to find the most appropriate answers to each question.
Set the timer on previous exams and feel as if you are writing your paper in the exam center. This exercise is very helpful. It also helps you to check whether you can complete your exam in the time allowed.
Have a Water Bottle Ready
Exam stress is widespread! We all know it. Relax, have a water bottle with you and drink water regularly. This will keep your mind and body in a relaxed yet active mode.
Stay Healthy
Diet plays an important role in our health and how active we feel. Well, it’s quite simple. Eat a healthy diet. Avoid fast food and junk food! Eat fresh and nutritious foods to avoid unnatural sleepiness, fatigue or sickness. Consuming nuts, yoghurt and seeds can help in retaining better concentration and memory.
We know you can eat fast food and save a few minutes for studying, but that’s not smart. Fast food makes you sleepy. Do you want to feel sleepy while studying? It’s obviously NO. So only eat good food! After the exams, you will have plenty of time to eat your favourite dishes!
Take Proper Sleep
When it comes to exam preparation, the first thing you tend to do is cut back on sleep time. Just don’t do that. If you cut back on those two hours of sleep, you’ll reduce your productivity.
It’s better to study 12 hours a day and get more done than to study 14 hours a day and get less done. We are not in a race to see how many hours we can study, we are trying to study smart, master our curriculum and get good grades!
If you get enough sleep (generally, normal people need 7-8 hours of sleep), your mind will be more active during the hours you are awake.
Do Exercise
You only have a short time on exam day. We understand that! But on other days you can make time for exercise. How about a simple morning walk?
Exercise is not only good for your body, but also for your mind. Exercise boosts your energy levels, improves your memory and prepares you for the rest of the day. Taking time to exercise is not an expense, but an investment in better health and education.
Exercise every day. Once you start, you will thank yourself and find studying much more enjoyable.
Get Tea or Coffee Help
You probably already know this tip, but it’s worth mentioning. Tea or coffee can instantly stimulate our minds and boost our memory so that we can learn better. This doesn’t mean you have to drink coffee or tea all the time; three or four normal-sized cups a day is acceptable.
The next time you are out studying and feeling tired or down, grab a cup of tea or coffee. It will not make you smart, but it will help you to be active, study better, get smart in the right way and ultimately perform better in your exams.
Revision
Revision is a must for anyone taking an exam. Whether it’s a week before the exam or the day before, it helps you to absorb the information you have already learned in more detail.
Plan the day of exam
If you have planned everything a day in advance, everything will become easy on an actual day. So, familiarize yourself with every piece of information and requirements of the exam a day earlier than the exam day. Further, get enough sleep on the night previous to the day of the examination.
Get up early on the exam day, drink gallons of water, and eat light yet nutritious food so that you don’t feel drowsy. Arrange all your stationery and take it along with you. Plan your journey in advance and leave a bit early to avoid last-minute races. Travel with a person who comes on time; this will give you more positive energy and confidence.
There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure. – Colin Powell
Conclusion
The effective exam preparation consists of setting specific targets, working according to a structured study plan, and using active learning techniques. Be sure to update yourself on your progress regularly, take care of your health both in body and mind, and stay positive. Do lots of practice, which will help drive the points home, and don’t hesitate to seek help when you need it. From these recommendations, you shall be perfectly well-equipped to face your examinations with full confidence and success.
