Heading into exams and assessment periods can be daunting and at times stressful. But it doesn’t need to be and there are plenty of great tips to help you breeze through your tests with a sense of calm and determination.
We put together eight helpful tips and tools for you to consider, not all of them will resonate with you , but even if you focus on four or five of them you will have greater confidence in achieving your results:
📕 Have a Positive Attitude.
Don’t begin the process already feeling defeated, set about your mission with a positive outlook, knowing that you will achieve the desired results.
📕 Begin early and space out your study sessions.
Mark your exam preparations in your diary 2 weeks prior and plan your study sessions accordingly. It’s better to plan 1 hour per day for 14 days, rather than cramming in 6 hour session a few days before, leaving you feeling stressed out and exhausted.
📕 Have specific goals for each study session.
This way you can stay focussed on the task at hand and not get distracted by other ideas and subjects.
📕 Organise your study material before you start the session.
It’s a good idea to have a few boxes, folders, or magazine files on hand to sort each subject into separate compartments. Then you have just the material for that particular subject on your desk and avoid any other distractions.
📕 Create your own study material.
The act of creating and writing your own material will commit it to your memory and make it easier to recall during your test. You could make mini quizzers, cue cards or summaries paragraphs.
📕 Use technology.
There are plenty of great study and quiz Apps available online and they suit a range of different subjects and techniques. Youtube and Quizlets are a good place to start.
📕 Eat healthy.
This is an important tip and one that often gets neglected. Don’t underestimate the importance of good nutrition and hydration during your study periods. Make sure you are eating plenty of colourful fruits and vegetables, along with a balance whole food diet. Again, we have some great nutrition articles in the SIA Blog.
📕 Rest.
Your brain requires a lot of energy, so it is really important you take regular study breaks and get uninterrupted sleep every night. Meditation is also a wonderful tool to have at your disposal. Start practicing meditation daily if you can, as a 20 minute meditation or breath work is equivalent to 4 hrs deep sleep. There a plenty of great meditation Apps to explore with helpful guided meditations for the beginner.