There is a fear among students that entering the exam room will cause your brain to stop working.It is helpful to use a wide range of study tips and tricks to overcome this fear.You will be surprised to see how easy it is to remember difficult concepts once you establish good study habits, use some active learning tips to really cement the information in your brain, and use memory tricks to make remembering easier.
Step 1: The approach to studying should be positive.
You won't have an effective study session if you crack open the books while in a bad mood.It will be easier for you to remember what you learn if you are motivated about it.You should be patient as you try to master new material.
Step 2: Stick to a study schedule.
Think about when you are most alert and able to concentrate.This could be immediately after school for some.Some people may be more productive if they take a break after school.If you study a bit each day for 30 to 60 minutes, you will retain more information than if you cram at the last minute.Break into your study schedule.Breaks allow your brain to absorb what you just studied.It is a good idea to take a short walk or get some fresh air during your break.
Step 3: It is a good place to study.
A library or an isolated area of your house are great places to find a quiet space.If you have an area devoted to studying, your brain will be used to absorbing material once you get there.Books, paper, pens, highlighters, a calculator, and so on should be kept near your study space.If you need a computer for your studies, you can use an app to block certain websites.You won't be tempted to check social media when you should be studying.
Step 4: Stay organized.
A messy study room can make it hard to remember.You can better memorize facts by fostering order in your mind.
Step 5: Get some sleep.
Your brain converts facts into long-term memory when you sleep.A short nap can help.If you don't have time for a nap in the afternoon, review your notes at night before you go to bed.The optimal level for adolescents is 9 hours of sleep each night.The sleep range for adults is between 7 and 9 hours.
Step 6: Out loud, read your materials.
Using multiple senses can help you retain more information, and even just saying the words out loud can be helpful.Don't worry if you look foolish reading your biology notes to your dog.If it helps you ace your exam, you will be happy.If you can't speak in the library, try mouthing the information.
Step 7: Discuss what you're learning with someone else.
Talking about what you are learning can help you retain the information.You can either study with a friend or teach the material to a parent or younger sibling.When you use your brain to figure out a way to teach the material to someone else, you think about it more in-depth.If you have a hard time teaching the concept to someone else, you will be able to figure out which materials you need to further study.
Step 8: Write down what you have to memorize.
Taking notes on what you have read and re-writing it over and over again can help you master a formula or concept.An outline of the materials you are trying to learn can be helpful.Your brain can recall information in an organized manner if you organize the materials in a visual manner.You can use flashcards with important facts.Since the act of writing will help you remember, and the flashcards are a portable tool you can review while riding a bus or waiting for an appointment, this is doubly helpful.Each paragraph should be summarized in the margins.When you summarize and analyze it, you are teaching it to yourself.
Step 9: Take a practice test.
If you can locate a practice exam or one used in the past, this can be a good tool for figuring out what you have mastered and which topics you still need to study.If you don't know anything about the material, try another test in a few days.Don't limit your studies to the items found on the exam.Your test will include all of the information you have been assigned to study, not just questions you found on a previous or practice test.
Step 10: The devices are known as master mnemonic devices.
These memory tools help you remember things like names, dates, and facts by turning them into rhymes, words, or sentences.You can remember the names of the Great Lakes by remembering the word HOMES.The first letter of the lake's name is used to create a new word.The name Roy G. Biv is related to the colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.Be imaginative.If you want to make a silly sentence or phrase with words that start with the same letters, use the first letter of a group of words.
Step 11: You can make rhymes for what you are trying to remember.
A rhyme is a type of device that uses sound to help remember.The rhymes are easily linked by their sound.In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue, so try to organize the information or list of words you are trying to remember into a rhyme.
Step 12: There is a mind map.
Mind maps help you visually organize information.They show the relationships between pieces of information so you can better understand them.You can better remember and recall ideas if you understand how they connect.Place the main idea in the center of your mind map.There are computer tools that you can use to create a mind map.
Step 13: While studying, chew gum.
The act of chewing gum may allow more oxygen into your brain, which may help you concentrate better.If you chew a particular flavor of gum while studying, you may be able to remember more information if you also chew that gum during your test.
Step 14: You can use your sense of smell.
You can use smells to remember what you are studying.It is possible to smell a perfume or scent while studying.Right before your exam, smell the same scent.You might be able to better remember what you studied.