So, you’ve got an exam. Sometimes the information that you need to study will seem endless and overwhelming, but never fear! The peer advisors are here, bearing helpful study tips!
Tip #1: Start Studying Before You Even Know When the Exam is Going to Happen
Exam preparation begins on the first day of classes! Being an active and responsible student throughout the year is the best possible exam prep strategy. Pay attention in class, as the professor will often drop hints to what will be on the exam by including things in the powerpoint, writing stuff on the board, or just saying, “This will be on the test!” Review your notes regularly, and do all of your homework. Attend TA sessions, stop in on your prof’s office hours, and, of course, see your Peer Advisors for study help!
Tip #2: Make a Plan
A study plan may not seem essential, but it absolutely is. It helps you to know where you stand before you get down to the real studying, and helps you to budget your time, which is very important. Studying should always be a process that happens over time, not just cramming the night before the exam.
- Make a study calendar— The first step is to decide how many nights of studying you need before an exam. I use one of two techniques for gauging this. If the test is on something like psychology, where we’re reading out of a textbook, I give myself 1 night of studying for each chapter or topic, plus one extra night to review all the chapter/topics. So, if the test is on 7 broad topics covered in the textbook, I’ll need 8 nights of studying. If the exam is for a class with more difficult to quantify readings, I first consider what I’ll be tested on, and then estimate the total number of hours of studying I’ll need. Then, I divide that number up so that I can study one hour a night, and two hours on the night before the exam. For example, if I think I’ll need ten hours of studying, I’ll need to start studying 9 nights in advance.
- Know the logistics of the exam– Will it consist of essay questions? Multiple choice? Term identification? A little of everything? Find out the form the exam will take, and then tailor your study techniques to suit it. For example, if the test will include identifications, you might want to write a paragraph defining and explaining each term you think might be on the exam.
This guy: you don't want to be him.
- Map out each night of studying— You should skim over everything you need to study for your upcoming test to make sure there are no gaps in your notes, and nothing you’re completely stumped by. If there are things you’re uncertain of, ask a classmate or go to your prof’s office hours (see, you started early so you’d have time to do stuff like that!). Then, make a plan of what you will study each night. It can be something as simple as, “I’ll review chapter 1 on Tuesday, chapter 2 on Wednesday, chapter 3 on Thursday,” etc. Use this schedule to keep you on track– hold yourself to these deadlines!
Tip #3: Find Your Ideal Study Spot
Do you work best listening to music? In total silence? Surrounded by people? Totally alone? In a brightly lit room, or under soft light? Ask yourself these kinds of questions, and then set off to find your perfect study locale. It should be someplace where you can keep focus for as long as you plan to be hitting the books. Some people find that studying in the room where they’ll be sitting the exam helps!
This is probably not your ideal study spot.
Tip #4: Use Effective Study Techniques
Making a schedule is useful for any exam, but when it comes to studying you should pick and choose your techniques because no one studying style will work for every test. Here are some handy ones to consider!
- Rewrite your notes— I find that this works best for exams that will be based heavily upon class notes. It’s not really fun to read over your class notes, is it? They can be kind of all over the place, and the handwriting usually isn’t your best. Rewrite them, making them neater and organizing the information into a much more study-friendly outline format!
- Make a list of definitions— Is your exam heavy on technical jargon or unfamiliar vocabulary? Then this technique is for you! Make a list of all unfamiliar terms and their definitions.
- Use flashcards— I’ve found this technique to be particularly useful for ID-style exams. Make one (or two, or three) cards for every term you think you might be tested on, and write the information about that term on the back of the card. Keep testing yourself until you memorize all the info! (And if paper flashcards are way too 20th century for you, here’s a handy iPhone app!
- Mnemonic devices— These are very handy for quick memorization of lists, and they can stick in your head for years! My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas STILL comes in handy for remembering the planets.
- Make a study group— WARNING: This tip is not for everyone! If you’re easily distracted and don’t possess a lot of self-discipline in the face of an opportunity to socialize, this technique is not for you! But for some people, studying with classmates is very effective. Just be sure you don’t get off topic! Try this: take a ten-minute group break for every hour of studying. That’s 60 minutes of anthro, and 10 minutes of funny youtube videos.
If your study group looks like this, you're doing it wrong.
Tip #5: Chillax
Once you’re done studying, try to unwind on the night before the exam. Drink some hot chocolate, watch an episode of 30 Rock– do whatever makes you feel relaxed. Then, hit the sack and get your eight hours. You’ll wake up refreshed and ready for the test!
Pictured: a star student
