Exam study tips

Shauna Hines
News and Features Editor

Exams are right around the corner, so don’t procrastinate. After break there are only eight days of school before exams start. Although there is no appeal to studying over the holiday break, it is over a week of time you could potentially use.

For most exams, there is a lot of information you will need to know, so do not cram. Rather, space out your studying. Work for 30 minutes a day, or during commercial breaks, reviewing main ideas or making flash cards of essential vocabulary. If you learn in parts, you will remember the information better.

Don't stress out while studying for exams. Casey Nash doesn't.

Take short 15 to 30 minute breaks every two hours you work. Don’t get so caught up in your studying that you don’t eat. Nutritious foods like nuts and yogurt aid in memory and concentration. Working for hours on end will not benefit you in the long run, but regular breaks help with long-term retention.

Do some cardio. Jogging or walking around your neighborhood for 20 minutes a day is linked to improved memory. Some people find they remember information better when they pace around the room while studying.

Use visual aids like flow charts and diagrams. Pick broad topics and write down everything you know. Then go through your notes and write down all the information you can find in your notes.

Self testing includes flashcards, answering questions at the end of the textbook and practice tests in order to reinforce material. The best part of quizzing yourself is that you can figure out what information you don’t know and need to study more.

Make a schedule that is flexible because it may take longer to get through some of the information than you originally planned. Stay on track and you will get through all of your studying with minimal stress.

A 2013 study by the Association of Psychological Science states that the least effective methods of studying are highlighting, keyword mnemonics, summarization, and re-reading.

When it comes to the day of the test: get plenty of rest before hand, eat a well rounded breakfast, drink a little tea or coffee and chew some gum during the test.