Preparing for exams is without doubt the most stressful part of the semester, and it’s normal for a lot of students to feel sleep deprived, anxiety ridden and mentally drained. If you struggle during exam time, check out our exam survival tips to help you stay organised and energised during exams.
There are lots of practical things you can do to stay organised during exam time. One of my exam survival tips is to start with a study timetable! A study timetable is so great because if you plan out what and when you need to study in preparation for exams, you won’t find yourself in that all too familiar situation where you’ve run out of time and need to cram last minute.
Make a table or calendar and in each day put in the things you are going to do. You can see clearly how much time you have to prepare and can take it a day at a time so you don’t get overwhelmed.
Scrolling through social media apps actually take up a lot more of our time than we realise! It’s a huge distraction and makes it so easy to procrastinate. So another one of my exam survival tips is to either delete your social media apps or keep your phone away from you while you study. That way you won’t be tempted to check your phone every time you hear that notification sound!
There are lots of different study techniques out there so an important exam survival tip is to find the one that works best for you. Reading your notes over and over again may not be the most effective way to study, maybe you’re a visual learner or you need some sort of motivation system. Whatever it is, don’t force yourself to study in a way that doesn’t actually help you retain information.
Some exam survival tips are to read aloud or use mnemonic devices as they are proven ways to help improve retention of material. If you’re someone who likes to learn visually, take the material from your textbook or notes from your lecture and turn it into some sort of visual image, like a diagram, graph or stick figures.
It’s all too easy to stress eat during exam time. Caffeine and sugary treats might feel good as a quick fix, but both your body and mind will be better off in the long run if you maintain a balanced diet and fit in some regular exercise.
So another exam survival tip is to opt for fruit, veggies and dip or unsalted popcorn over chips, lollies and chocolate as snack food. Healthier foods will prevent you from feeling sluggish and are of course great for your overall well being. Staying active is also important, and you don’t even have to head out to the gym, just a quick walk around the block will help you feel refreshed and energised to keep studying.
Sleeping is often the last thing you want to do when you have exams to study for! But you’ll just drain yourself mentally and emotionally if you constantly pull all nighters. In fact, a good sleep actually helps to improve concentration and productivity. Plus it also helps to retain the information you have been learning all day. So another exam survival tip is that you are realistic about how much you can get done in a day so you have time for breaks and sleep.
My final exam survival tip is to stay positive! Exams are stressful, but they’re not the end of the world. And if you follow the other tips in this article, it’s a lot easier to be positive during you exam time as you’ll be more organised, healthy and well rested.
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