6 Study Tips to Help you through your Examination Preparation

Senior library monitors have compiled a list of study tips that have helped them. You might find something useful to help make the most out of your study time. Feel free to read the whole article or skim through to see the main ideas.

1. MENTAL STATE - Study at a time when you are most productive

Find out what is your study style and know when is your personal mental peak state. There is no use forcing yourself to study when your body is naturally not at its best. Maybe you’re a late-night person, so you tend to be more attentive and absorb information more efficiently during that time. Find a time to study which suits you best!

2. PLAN - Prepare ahead of time

Make sure to have all your notes and past papers prepared at least a few weeks before the exams (4 weeks is a good time to begin preparing). Even if you are not physically studying them, it’s good to get ready. Create a timetable, to-do list and prepare any other material that you may need (paper/post-it notes etc.) Plan to study different subjects or topics within a day to have enough variety. If you spend all day studying just one topic or subject you may get bored. However, if you jump around too much, you may be wasting time transitioning. Find a balance.

3. ENVIRONMENT – Design your study environment

Prepare a designated area just for studying. Our body is known to associate a place to a particular activity, so it is definitely not a good idea to study say on your bed. Make sure your workspace is properly illuminated, be it being by the window in the day, or switching on a bright lamp in the night. Remove unrelated clutter off your desk so that you can stay focused. If you do need to listen to music while you study, instrumental music would be more suitable as it is less likely to distract you. There are playlists out there such as Lowfi music and Deep Focus music that you can choose from.

4. NOTES - Making your own set of summary notes

Creating your own notes forces you to process the information you are studying. This increases understanding and information retention. The notes will also be useful as a quick review during the last few moments before the examination.

5. PAST PAPERS – Test your understanding through attempting questions

Practicing past examination papers is one of the best way for you to test what you have studied but most importantly, to familiarize yourself with the type of questions you may be examined on. Often, one to two weeks is more than enough time for you to have revised all the topics. Take the remaining time you have to attempt past papers provided on Blackboard (if not, ask your teacher for some).

6. SELF-CARE - Stay healthy and rest when needed

The other aspects of life are still as important during examination preparation. Schedule fixed regular breaks between study times so that you will not procrastinate or feel guilty about it. Drink enough water and have regular healthy meals. Don’t skimp on sleep. Studying while you’re lethargic is significantly less efficient than spending the time necessary to sleep and recharge. Also, don’t underestimate how exercise can prime your brain for clarity.