Have you always postponed or have you been so busy that you haven't even opened a book? Even if studying overnight won't help you get the highest grade, it will at least save you from a resounding rejection. Follow the tips in this article and get ready for a long and tiring night.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: The Night Before the Exam
Step 1. Take notes effectively
If you are forced to prepare for an exam in a few hours, it is essential to take notes well to make the most of the time you have left.
- Find out what are the key topics to study. If the teacher will give a short review lesson before the exam, take the opportunity to understand what the main points are. This way, you will also have the opportunity to ask a few questions (although you won't have many since you haven't read a page yet). Many teachers provide their students with lecture notes to study on, and if so, make the most of them. They probably won't cover all the topics required for the exam, but at least they'll help you consider the most important aspects.
- Use the notes taken during the course. If you have followed the lessons regularly, you will surely have some notes to review. If not, ask some classmates to make you a copy of hers. They are a very precious treasure, full of important notions transmitted by the teacher in the course of his explanations.
Step 2. Identify the main concepts
As you read through your notes, find the most important definitions, concepts, and math formulas. If you can't memorize them, write them down on another piece of paper along with any new notes you will take during the night, or write them down on some cards. This way, you will be able to identify the topics to learn and the cards will help you memorize them.
- By rewriting a concept, you will be able to memorize it better, especially if you have a visual memory. If, on the other hand, you have an auditory memory, it means that you tend to learn using your hearing, so you may want to read aloud as you write your notes.
- If you have enough time, try rewriting the basics several times. It might seem overwhelming, but if you need to acquire specific information and facts, it is a very effective method. However, it's not quite as useful if you have to learn math formulas or data to apply from time to time.
Step 3. Study effectively
Obviously you will not have time to learn everything that will be asked of you in the exam, but you can narrow the field to the topics that will surely be touched on. Find ways to focus on core concepts.
- Identify the central themes. Review the syllabus, handouts, and notes, and look for the most important or recurring topics in the textbook. Quickly scroll through the main sections of the book and jot down any new information that seems relevant to you. The idea is not to write everything down, but to identify exactly the arguments, facts or mathematical formulas that are likely to be examined so that you can focus more on these aspects.
- Read the beginning and end of the chapters. Generally, the first page presents the key points that help you understand the topic discussed below. The last pages, on the other hand, summarize the chapter, defining or highlighting the most relevant concepts or, in the case of mathematical texts, the most important formulas.
- Imagine what questions might be in the test and think about how you would answer them. At this point you should have a big picture of the matter. Reflect on general concepts and outline (possibly in writing) an approach to the questions you may encounter on the exam.
Step 4. Do a general review without going deeper
At this point things get serious: summarize the information you gathered quickly, take a quick test and evaluate the result. In this way, you will be able to understand which are the topics to analyze better.
- First, go over the cards or notes. Quickly review key concepts. If you think you have assimilated a topic or a mathematical formula, remembering everything well enough, move on to something else or put aside the respective card. If you have further doubts, try to clarify them by reading your notes or consulting the Internet (provided you choose reputable sites).
- Challenge yourself. If the teacher has assigned some exercises, it is time to do them, otherwise complete those in the textbook or answer the questions you find at the end of each chapter, but only those concerning the topics you consider relevant. Don't waste too much time on each question. If you get stuck, mark the point where you have had difficulty and look for the solution once you have finished the other questions and evaluated your performance.
- Evaluate the answers you have given. Try to be honest, otherwise you will be disappointed when you take the actual exam. Check for wrong answers by comparing them with notes and cards. You will likely need to review some concepts you thought you knew well or prepare other summary cards.
Step 5. If you can't fix the concepts and the study isn't going well, try some memorization techniques
The brain absorbs all information. If you forget a part of the arguments examined, you must trace the cause in the way you acquired them or in the way you try to recall them. A few simple memorization exercises will help you optimize the last few hours of study.
- Try using mnemonics. It is a sophisticated term that indicates a "device for memorizing": it serves to fix something in a simple and fast way. Do you remember when the professor taught you the acronym PIACQUE to remember the seven hills of Rome? Here, this too is a mnemonics.
- Try using the "peg-system", which is the hook method. It is called this because it allows information to be associated with hook-words that act as mental supports. The elements to remember, especially if you want to remember them in a certain order, are visually associated with a list of terms, with which they should have the greatest possible assonance or even rhyme. To recall them in the right order, just mentally retrieve the associated hook-words and you will find the concepts to remember.
- Try grouping, a memorization method that allows you to put items to remember into a mental category. For example, if you are studying economics, try to include "stocks", "bonds" and "funds" in a single set, such as "guarantees", based on a common characteristic. Organize core ideas by dividing them into well-defined concepts.
Step 6. Put everything back and go to sleep
Sometimes, there is no time to sleep, but you need to try to rest as much as possible before the exam. The ideal would be to finish the bulk of the work before bed and get up early to repeat some more. If you have a sleepless night, you will be really tired and may make trivial mistakes due to carelessness.
Some studies indicate that sleep deprivation impairs memory. And that's not all because the lack of rest prevents the mind from recalling recently acquired information, that is, those that occupy short-term memory. So, try to study quickly so you don't fall asleep on books and go to bed even an hour earlier than usual
Part 2 of 2: Exam Day
Step 1. Have a light and balanced breakfast at least one hour before the exam
Don't just eat carbohydrates, but prioritize protein (eggs), omega-3s (fatty acids found mainly in salmon), fiber (black beans), or fruits and vegetables.
Among the so-called "super foods" - that is, foods that enhance brain function and fight tissue aging - consider: blueberries, salmon, nuts, seeds, avocado, pomegranate juice, green tea and dark chocolate. Try to include a couple in the first meal of the day
Step 2. Organize an additional study session
Repeat in the car or on the bus with a friend. Sit next to a partner and review key concepts together, questioning each other. It is essential to impress clear and fresh information in the mind. Make sure the last chance to study doesn't turn into a moment of recreation.
Step 3. Go through all the notes or cards written the previous evening once again
Just before the exam, re-read all the material prepared during the night, even if you think you have memorized everything. It is important that the concepts learned remain fresh in the mind throughout the exam. If you can't remember a certain definition or mathematical formula, write it down six or seven times consecutively to fix it in your mind.
Step 4. Identify the most important concept or formula to remember
The information you want to recall should not be longer than 3-4 words. Fix it for at least 1-2 minutes. Concentrate well. Rewrite it as the time for the exam approaches to imprint it in your memory.
Step 5. Arrive early and remember to go to the bathroom
Enter the exam room at least five minutes early and don't forget to go to the bathroom before you sit down so you don't have to worry about walking away during the test. At this point, settle into the counter, relax and have faith in yourself. Imagine your success.
Advice
- Before starting the exam, quickly review your notes. You may have missed something, maybe nonsense. Better to play it safe.
- Do not stay up late to study, otherwise you will be very tired the next morning and, if you are tired, you will not be able to concentrate during the exam.
- Read aloud. Often verbal memorization is an excellent method of quickly capturing information, more effective than silent reading.
- Give yourself short, but frequent breaks. They serve to keep you awake and alert, while also avoiding total collapse from fatigue. Every 50 minutes, however, you should do it longer than 10 minutes.
- As you study, think about how you can favorably impress the teacher with what little you are learning. Try writing it in an original way rather than just producing a copy of the textbook or notes. Introduce responses in a way that elicits positive reactions. Remember that first impressions are important, so try to answer questions on the topics you know best first.
- Eliminate all possible distractions. If you don't need the computer, make sure you don't have it nearby. If, on the other hand, you need to use it, temporarily disable your internet connection before starting. However, if you have to log on to the net for some research, then you will have to appeal to your willpower.
- Just before the exam, try to do some physical exercise. Run up the stairs or jump around. Physical activity promotes blood circulation, relaxes and wakes up.
- After a crazy and desperate night of studying, the best thing to do is review your homework and ask a family member or friend to question you.
- Finish the hardest topics first, then move on to the simpler ones. The brain has more energy when it starts working.
- If you don't easily lose focus, try studying with a friend. It may help you understand and remember concepts that you considered complicated. Just don't give in to distractions!
Warnings
- Lack of sleep and excessive caffeine intake are not good for your health, so you should avoid them. Also, when you are tired, reaction times slow down. If you have spent all night awake studying, think carefully about taking the car to go to the exam and go home because it can be dangerous.
- Don't give in to the temptation to copy. It is better to give 50% of the answers honestly than to cheat. Even if you don't feel guilty afterward, the risk is still too great. Teachers do not appreciate who copies and, if they found you, the consequences would not only affect the grade. They would view you differently, evaluating your performance with a more severe eye. Also, if you need a cover letter, they may decline or mention what happened. In some schools, suspension is even foreseen.
- Even if you pass the exam, within a couple of days you won't remember anything. Generally, people assimilate concepts gradually. By studying fast overnight, on the other hand, you only use short-term memory. If you will need some topics in the future (such as algebraic equations), you may want to review everything calmly after the exam.
