Learn Me Good

Whether you are in college, graduate school or high school, finals week is one of the most stressful times in a student’s life. Studying strategically by following these helpful tips can help you succeed during your finals.

Start by creating your own study guide. Teachers will often provide them for you, however, by creating your own it may prove easier to understand the material. By outlining important information, you can prioritize and refer back to it while studying. Your teachers and/or professors are there to help you. If you are confused even a little bit it’s important to ask questions. Review sessions go over key concepts about what you should be focusing on when studying for the exam. It is important to attend these sessions so you are more prepared. Don’t wait until the end of the day or night to start studying for your exam. If you start first thing you won’t have to worry about being too tired later in the evening. Also, start studying ahead of schedule to prevent last minute rushing which will only create more stress.

Get your friends together for some pizza and a group study session. Picking another one’s brain can shed light on an answer you may not have thought of yourself. Do not just stick to your study guide alone. There will be other topics on the exam that are not in your study guide. It is very important that you take breaks and often. No one can memorize all of the material at once. Taking breaks will keep your mind fresh and help you stay recharged. Split the material you are studying in groups. This will help you not become overwhelmed. Focus on one group at a time until you feel comfortable that you understand. You should always quiz yourself when you have finished studying your group. Create potential exam questions and answer them. Save the questions you got wrong and go back and restudy them.

Evaluate your notes and organize them by what’s important. Stay focused by pacing yourself each time you study. By not pacing yourself you can easily burn yourself out.

Create a study schedule and make sure that you stick to it. A lot of people find that a color coding system helps them focus. You can use different colors to prioritize on the pertinent information. The best way to make studying less stressful is to keep it fun. After you have completed a task reward yourself with a candy or a break.

Exams are stressful and preparing for them can be just as much of a strain. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to help alleviate that stress and log the study hours that you need.

Put down the media. Unless you are using an online text there is no need to have your phone or laptop within reach. Leave it in your bag. If you are using the internet only keep open the tabs that you need. Log out of your social media accounts. The extra step of logging back in can help deter you from breaking your concentration and taking those extra few minutes to check your updates.

Take frequent breaks. Knowing that you have an hour or two of work ahead of you can be daunting. Studies have shown that a break every 15 or 20 minutes can break up the monotony of studying and actually help with concentration. Get your blood moving again. Walking around or even standing up for a few minutes can offer enough of a distraction to break the boredom. Better yet, if you can go over your study material with a friend during a physical activity you will increase your focus and retain information better.

Eat a light but healthy meal before or during your study time. Having a healthy snack or small meal before studying gives your brain the boost of energy it needs to focus. Have a whole grain bagel with some blueberries and avocado before you settle down. The whole grains will keep you satiated while the healthy fats in the avocado and the nutrients in the blueberries fuel your brain. Snacking while you study can also increase your concentration. Some people fidget when they sit still for too long so snacking while studying can also help keep your hands busy.

Keep your schedule in mind. Organize your time so that you do not run into conflicts. Multi tasking is overrated. Schedule yourself enough time to study and then do only that. Try to schedule your time during the day when you are most alert. Then, find a place conducive to helping you focus. For some this is a library, others concentrate better in a bustling coffee shop. Whichever is best for you find a place and buckle down.

Try to make connections between your study material and something else. Relate your material to a book you have read or an experience you have had. Make it fun and personal. This will also make your material easier to remember. Study with a friend or a partner who is taking the same exam as you.