Everyone has a different style for studying. There’s studying off of notecards, rereading notes, or even rewriting the study guide. I myself have struggled to find the key to soaking up all of the information I need for my tests. After trying all of the ways possible to study, I have finally come up with the perfect technique to get that A.

I’m not one to study weeks and weeks in advance for my tests, so this particular technique will exclude preparing that far in advance. Instead, I will focus on the majority of us students who wait until two days before or even the night before the test to accomplish all the studying in that time frame. This is not to say that almost everyone is a procrastinator, but we all understand that we have more than one class and more than one thing to do for homework. So, for some people who almost NEVER procrastinate, it might be needed in some cases.

Now, this technique is for pretty much anyone, and it is designed for studying any kind of information. I've recently used it to study for some exams that I did very well on, so I can completely stand behind this technique.

Step One: Figure Out What Information is One the Test

This may seem like an obvious first step, but it is definitely needed. Make sure you are fully informed of what chapters the test will have, what information the test will be on, and what images or diagrams may be included for this test. If the professor uploads class notes online, make sure to pull up all of them during this step. If there's a class book that you have that may include some information that you need to study, pull the book out onto your desk. Make sure you have everything you could possibly have to study off of at hand before moving on to the next step.

Step Two: Type Out All of the Definitions

Any important words that are included in the chapters being tested on should be typed out in a word document with the official definition (if it is in the glossary in the back of the book or included in the class notes) and a definition that you can understand (most of the time, this is found in the class notes to help you understand better). Make sure you look through the book AND the class notes, for the teacher may not have gone over it in class but could still think it's fair game for the test.

Step Three: Handwrite the Definitions

I know, this step is tedious. I promise it will help tremendously, though. Even if you don't fully understand the definition of a few particular words, handwrite them along with the rest. This helps match up the formal definitions with the correct vocabulary in your head. The professor may have a matching section, fill in the blank section, multiple choice section, or even short answer section that you will need the book definition to help you find the answer.

Step Four: Take a Break

I don't care what you do during this stage, whether you decide to eat some food or read a book. I personally watch Netflix or a good old-school movie. Whatever it is, as long as it has nothing to do with the test. This step is very important, because if you keep going over information over and over without any kind of breaks, you have a bigger chance of getting confused and mixing up the information in your mind. So when it comes time for the test, you'll second guess yourself because you won't have the information properly filed in your head.

Step Five: Reread Your Notes

Even if there are a ton of notes, reread them. If you can, try reading them out loud. When you say the information out loud, it helps ingrain that information in your brain. Also, hearing yourself say the information helps make areas that you may not fully understand more obvious, allowing you to go back into the book to help you. When you've fully understood the information in that section, then you can keep reading through the class notes. During this step, those definitions that may have not made sense earlier on will come together in the ideas that this chapter is trying to teach you. Repeat this step right before the test, focusing on any areas of the notes that have diagrams, specify differences of certain terms, or exercises that show how to put the information to use.

Step Six: Be Positive!

Almost everyone has heard this part of advice: to envision yourself getting an 'A'. I never thought it actually worked until I started doing it. Whenever someone asks you how prepared you feel, tell them that you think you'll do well. I know everyone says, "I don't feel prepared," or "I don't know how I'll do," or even "There's no way I'm going to do well on this test." The only reason people say these sentences is to save their pride incase they actually don't do well, but DON'T BE LIKE THEM! If you keep telling yourself that you will do well, you'll go into the test with a positive attitude. This will help you not second-guess yourself and be sure of the information that you know, because guess what? You DO know it and you ARE prepared.

So anytime you have a test that is coming up, keep these tips in mind to ensure a better grade on your test. Getting better grades in school allows you to stress less. This means you can actually enjoy the weekends to the fullest!