It's around that time of year, ladies and gents! Those last few lessons that your professors are covering before a huge test, and an even bigger exam. If your studying attempts still aren't really cutting it, but you want to learn some new ways, you've come to the right place. But just a word in advance, all of these methods may not work for you, but they are helpful generalized tips to study. So sit back, relax, and get to studyin'!
1. Get Rid Of Any Distractions
This is such an important tip, which is why it's number one on this list. I can't even begin to explain how many times I've stopped and started studying, simply because I needed something to drink or eat, check my phone, or go on to the next thing. This can be easily avoided. Get any snacks and drinks before you study and stay at your studying spot until your next break. For your phone, put it on airplane mode and put it on the other side of your room. Or if you're pretty bad and know that you'll still get distracted, give your phone to a roommate or close friend who lives in the same dorm or apartment with you. That way when you're done, you can simply get it back from them. By erasing any potential distractions, it makes studying a lot more simpler, faster, and easier as well.
2. Breaks & Rewarding
Let's all be honest: studying can get boring very quickly. It isn't something that many people jump up excited to do. But you can make it slightly more interesting if you take breaks. Now, these should not be so frequent that you're only doing it to read that text or tweet. The point of studying is to grasp the information -- so you should be doing a lot more studying and grasping time than texting. But it's still important to rest your brain a bit! Maybe if you're studying for an exam, after every chapter or section, you allow yourself to look at a YouTube video or two, or check your phone for a few minutes. Then, right back to studying! By rewarding yourself, you're making it a lot more fun than it was before, right? My favorite way is putting a piece of candy after every few paragraphs, making me pumped to read the material, and get gummy bears afterwards! Try it.
3. Multi-Task Subjects
If you've got three classes to study for, the worst thing that you can do is use a single day to study for a single class. Study all three in one day. I know, it may seem absolutely crazy. But research shows that if you devote a bit of time to each of these subjects in a span of a few days, you're almost guaranteed to ace those tests. We're more likely to confuse similar things when studied together. So that way, you'll actually know the difference of mitosis and meiosis since you've studied other material along with biology.
4. Go To Class
This may just be both the easiest and hardest tip that I have in this article. Those last weeks before the exam are very crucial to be in attendance. By going to class, you're already doing your part of reviewing for the test, and you're also able to ask the teacher any questions that you may have instead of stumping over it while late-night studying. Just go to class and I promise that you won't regret it after looking at your exam grade.
5. Test Yourself
I have personally found that this is very helpful in achieving a good grade on any test or exam. Most professors will give you a practice test that you can take home and quiz yourself. Don't look at any notes or books -- just take it as if you were actually doing a test in class. Check the answers, and try to work out why you got the answers wrong that you did. Doing this a day or two before the test really prepares you for what's to come. If the teacher does not have a practice test or test questions online, simply write up your own. Write up your own questions that are in the book or online and quiz yourself. Again, it's super helpful and guarantees a satisfactory grade.
I can only hope that you test out these studying methods yourself and your met with great results. Happy studying!
