Studying Now Means Breathing Easier in Exam Season: 5 Study Tips for Big Exams
Every student must take a test at some point in their academic career. Whether you’re in middle school, high school, or college and beyond, exams can be stressful—especially if you don’t prepare. Here are some tips and tricks to make sure your studying goes smoothly. Follow these tips, and when exam day comes, you’ll feel ready to ace it.
1) Get organized
One of the most helpful study tools is a good system of organization. You may opt for a mobile app, such as Todoist, Google Keep, or the ios Notes app. Many stationery-loving students like myself prefer a pen-and-paper planner, which works great too. Whatever method you choose, it’s a good idea to keep in mind your goals and systems. Goals are the targets you wish to earn, such as a specific score on a test, and systems are the habits you set in place to achieve those goals. For example, if my goal is to get a score of 4 out of 5 or higher on my AP U.S. History exam in May, my system might be to study for one hour every Monday and Wednesday starting in March. Set your goals and systems early on, then store them in a visible and organized place. Review them often and stick to them.
My favorite way to organize my study plan for big exams is to make a calendar with all my events and study sessions planned for that exam, such as this calendar for my AP World History exam last spring.
2) Know your needs and follow them
Nobody is on the same playing field when it comes to studying. Some can ace every test with only a few days of study, and others have to toil just to earn average marks. If you fall into the former category, great: your systems can reflect that. If you belong to the latter, you may have to accommodate for extra learning time. The point is that when you study, you can spend less time reviewing subjects you already know and more time on the tougher topics. My suggestion is to make a study guide for each big exam. On it, write all the topics you may encounter in the test. Go through and mark which topics you would feel comfortable with and which you wouldn’t. This way, you have a complete and concise way to guide what you study and when.
3) Review as you go
This one may seem obvious, but I think everyone can use the reminder not to procrastinate. When you’re planning your study sessions, as detailed in tip #1, remember that into not enough time’]cramming all of your studying into the few days, hours, or minutes before the exam won’t do you any good. Science has backed this one up, too. Your brain will remember more accurately and quickly if you spend time reviewing topics throughout the year or semester, keeping the course material fresh in your mind.
4) Don’t study alone
This tip is pretty simple. If you can, reach out to people in your class so you can collaborate. Form study groups that meet consistently (even if it’s only online) so you can swap study plans, questions and answers, notes, triumphs, and concerns. Studying for a big exam is much easier and more enjoyable when you have friends by your side. Collaborating can even help you make sure you don’t miss anything, and it will give you a more collective mindset in facing the big test.
Bonus Tip:
Finding online resources, such as youtube videos to follow along with, can be a great way to change up your study routine and make things more interesting!
5) Take care of yourself
Finally, and most importantly, take time to meet your personal needs. Remember to get enough sleep, eat healthy and drink water, and spend time doing things other than studying. Take brain breaks. That doesn’t mean stopping after 5 minutes of flashcards to scroll through Instagram for an hour, but feel free to take a nature walk when your brain is getting tired. If you burn out early, your studying won’t do you much good.
Good luck on all your exams and happy studying!
Discussion Questions
- How much do you need to study to do well on your exams?
- Do you enjoy studying, or is it difficult to get motivated?
- Do you prefer studying alone or with friends? Why?
- Which of the above tips do you need to start using the most? Which do you already do?
