The tension between students and the final stride to raising their grade is suffocating as the whole school prepares for the most draining time— Finals week. Finals have arrived for the seniors and are weeks away for everyone else. The stress is building, the cramming is starting, and prayers are being sent for these students. Although, what if there were studying tips that could prevent the cold sweat, late nights, and anxiety attributed to final exams?
The following steps are scientifically proven as beneficial guides to acing your exams and feeling relaxed whilst doing so. Consider including them in your study routine, and observe the difference in knowledge retained for yourself!
1. Get Sleep
“Better quality and longer duration of sleep correlated with better grades,” colgateprofessional.com.
Sleep is crucial to gaining the relaxed and attentive mindset you need as you prepare for exams. It is required for teenagers to attain “eight to ten hours” of sleep according to sleep foundation.org. Don’t skip out on this step because you want to get a few late hours in of studying. Instead, let your mind and body rest so you are fully engaged for the next day where you can continue your studying. Finally, longer sleep isn’t solely regarding the night before the exam.
“Better performance was only associated with consistent good sleep habits over the preceding weeks,” colgateprofessional.com.
2. Create a Space Where You Can Focus
Yes, put your phone away, or at least place it on ‘do no disturb’. Also, inform your family of your plans to reduce any further distractions that may veer you off your goal. Additionally, form a comfortable and productive environment.
Accomodate “a desk, a comfortable seat, proper light, and any supplies you may need to facilitate a quality study session,” pointloma.edu.
In accomplishing these tasks, you ensure an atmosphere that will help you stay concentrated and provide a more effective study time.
3. Alternate Between Study Methods
Sticking to one studying method is insufficient and boring, as well as not conducive for every class. It is advised to utilize different techniques to improve your knowledge of content. Here are a few effective and efficient study practices:
◦ Pre-test: “Research has shown that pre testing improves post-test results more than spending the same amount of time studying,” edutopia.org. This also aids you in determining which areas need more focus, allowing you to fill gaps in your knowledge.
◦ Spaced practice: ”Spacing out study sessions—focusing on a topic for a short period on different days—has been shown to improve retention and recall more than massed practice,” edutopia.org. (A massed practice is those where you read your notes or content material and re-read the words until you think it is retained in your head) Ways to perform spaced practice is through flash cards or self quizzing.
“Spacing out my studying is definitely what helps me understand the content. I have tried cramming all the material a few days before the test and the information never stuck,” shared junior Chloe Ruiseco.
◦ Self quizzing: “Encourage students to make test questions for themselves as they learn a new concept, thinking about the types of questions you might ask on a quiz or test,” edutopia.org. This provokes thought for new content, reiterating the concept in your mind to where you don’t just memorize it but understand it.
“I would take practice quizzes and review why I got the answers wrong and go back to them once I went over that material. It truly helped me fix those gaps in my knowledge,” shared sophomore Camila Garcia.
◦ Paraphrasing & reflecting: Merely reading notes or textbooks usually results in forgetting the material or not fully comprehending the content. Yet, to fight this you can employ active studying strategies, such as connect new material to prior knowledge, ponder on how you would explain the material to a child or friend, and, lastly, reflect on the material by asking yourself further questions.
“When studying for my history final I have been reviewing a lesson a week and making flash cards while I read. I find it truly helpful as it keeps me from losing focus and writing down information helps me remember the material,” shared junior Gina Weinstein.