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If you are that type of person who already starts to get anxious and stressed just thinking about the proximity of a test, you will really like this article. Of course, over time, especially in college, you’ll eventually get used to the constant tests and exams.
However, with the hectic life that a university student usually leads, dealing with classes, internships, work, social life and, in some cases, home and family, any help is welcome to streamline your studies and take your exams without a lot of headache. And, above all, to retain the content studied far beyond the exams!
One of the most efficient things you can do before any test is to review the content studied. But how to do an efficient review? Make a list of everything that needs to be reviewed and create a schedule so you don’t leave anything out. In addition, separating the content into small portions facilitates the process of absorbing information.
You must have heard during elementary school that “subject given is subject studied”. This means that the ideal is to review all the content learned every day, even if you don’t have any homework for that subject. If you create a routine of reviewing everything you learn on a daily basis, you will be able to absorb the content more easily and little by little, so that when it comes to studying for the test, everything will not be accumulated.
During revisions, try to minimize any distractions to focus only on studying, such as television and the internet. No Facebook! Log off your social media accounts while you study, and keep your cell phone on mute (or off, preferably, if that’s possible) and away from you.
This is especially important for anyone who uses a laptop, tablet, or any electronic device to study. In addition to the many open tabs distracting you by showing you new notifications, it’s easy to lose focus when “checking out” Twitter or Instagram for two minutes.
Some people can spend a lot of time concentrating, but the vast majority have short attention spans. If this is your case, take short breaks between one content and another to have a snack (healthy!), drink water and recharge your energy.
Even if you manage to stay focused for a long time, it’s important to take a short 20-minute break every hour to get up, stretch, and hydrate. It’s no use spending hours on end with your face buried in the handouts or laptop without resting, because it ends up being exhausting and exhausting, impairing the efficiency of studies and the understanding and retention of content. Not to mention that it’s very bad for your body to spend a lot of time in the same position.
Experiment with different types of resources used for studies until you find what works best for you. You can try “ flashcards ”, those memory sticks on which you write small blocks of information, topics, summaries, questions, concepts, etc. and then uses them to review the content and jog your memory.
It’s not enough to go to your room, open your workbook or laptop and start studying. A fruitful study session requires a minimum of preparation in different aspects: finding the best place to study, organizing the space, minimizing your distractions, having everything you need at your fingertips, among others.
No matter what the exam is or what your field of study is, you will find exams, information and study materials available online. The content found on websites can be used as the basis of your studies, as it helps you to become familiar with the test format and, as you use it, you can see your progress. (We’ll explain the most common proof formats below.)
Completing mock tests not only allows you to identify your strengths and weaknesses, it also gives you a very real experience of what the test will be like. Ask your professor if he has any website suggestions or ask your senior colleagues if they have past exams taken for that course subject.
Regardless of the content, nothing works better than… studying! Simple, isn’t it? Practice leads to perfection. As mentioned in the first tip, it helps a lot if you get into the habit of studying a little a day and not letting the content accumulate. The more you train, the more familiar you will be with the test, and when the final day arrives, you will feel more confident.
If you prefer to study in pairs or with more people, organize a study group with other friends. But you have to take it seriously – it’s not for you to get together and just chat. Find a quiet environment, preferably in a library or other quiet, organized and neutral place; stipulate in advance the content that will be studied, so that everyone can go prepared; and find a pace of study that works for everyone.
Someone reads a chapter aloud and then everyone discusses it? Does everyone read silently first? How about preparing a questionnaire about the discipline to answer together?
Scientific facts prove that there are a number of factors that can impact your performance in evaluation processes. One of them is your hydration level, which will influence your level of attention. If your test lasts more than two hours, it is advisable to bring a bottle of water to leave with you.
Also, try to avoid any stress before the exam. Plan to arrive at the venue in advance, and make sure you have everything you need to take the test – documents, pencils, pens, erasers, snacks, etc.
During the assessment process, you must time your time. It makes no sense to spend half an hour on two exercises and leave only ten minutes for the remaining eight. Knowing in advance how many questions the test has and how much time you have to complete them, it is easier to know what pace you should follow. It is advisable to wear a wristwatch on the day of the exam; the rooms don’t always have clocks on the wall and it’s common to have to keep your cell phone guarded throughout the test.
Even if you don’t know the answer to a question, don’t leave it blank. In addition to having chances of getting it right, empty answers cause you to lose points.
This tip sounds simple enough, but it is very important. Many times, in the rush of studies, you forget to take care of your health, eating poorly, sleeping little, abusing coffee and reducing your social life. While studying is important, overworking yourself can do more harm than good. In the days leading up to the test, eat and sleep well and exercise daily. This will help keep your brain in shape!
