There is no reason to fear exams. Learning how to pass them can keep you actively engaged in your studies, without making you a zombie. You can learn how to organize yourself effectively, actively review and find the support you need to cross the finish line. For more information, start reading this guide.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Organizing the Review
Step 1. Find a good place to study
Each review area should be comfortable, calm, and free from distraction. Find a quiet, well-lit space where you can work comfortably and without distractions.
- Sign out or temporarily disable social media such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Having to log back in or activate them again is a good deterrent and after a day you will begin to forget about it. Furthermore, it is scientifically proven that we work better in less than perfect conditions, such as if it is a little cold or if we are sitting in a slightly uncomfortable chair. Sit at a desk or in front of a table - it is a more formal setting and recreates the conditions in which you will have to take the exam. Some prefer to choose a single place, while others prefer to move between their room, the library or study in other environments to break the monotony a little. Choose the place that best suits you and your habits.
- Some research shows that studying information in different places allows you to compartmentalize information, making it easier for you to remember it at a later date, as long as you can associate the information with the place.
- Some students find studying in public to be more effective, as it is more difficult to watch television or fiddle with other distractions found in the home. Know yourself and put a stop to your bad habits.
Step 2. Make a plan or schedule for review and strictly follow it
Working on a program will allow you to define the objectives to be achieved for each review and to check that you have done everything necessary. Review programs have been shown to reduce the anxiety of those who follow them as there is always something you can refer to that ensures that you are doing everything in the right time.
Alternatively, if this is not your style or there are always unexpected events, make a list of the subjects or individual topics that you need to study. You can assign each element a different color so that you always keep track of your progress and what remains to be done
Step 3. Set yourself reasonable goals that you know you can achieve
Studying over twelve chapters of trigonometry the night before a major exam probably does more harm than good. Likewise, trying to review all of Shakespeare's plays several weeks before the exam may not be the best way to remember the verification phase information. Organize yourself as effectively as possible to remember the most important information you need to study.
- You could review throughout the year by spending 15 minutes each day taking notes. By doing this in short periods you will remember more things and feel less stressed. A month before the exam, you will have finished writing all your notes, so you can devote a few hours a day to review and do written exercises.
- If there is still a long way to go (probably not the case, as in 80% of our readers), jot down your new notes on a flash card (it only takes a few minutes) and put it together with the rest of the material you are studying. This allows you to consolidate your knowledge and avoid panic and wasting time on the eve of the exam. If you are one of the 80% of students who shrink at the last moment, don't panic - it's never too late. You are just getting started and getting stressed out is the last thing you need.
Part 2 of 3: Review the Alternative Way
Step 1. Get involved in your texts
Rather than quickly reading the more complex texts you need to study, take a more active role by creating cards with your personalized questions on each topic. You can then use these questions as a reference for yourself or have a friend use them so they can question you.
- You could also do the following: highlight notes or books, organize ideas on each individual page, and "teach" what you have learned to a friend or family member. The best way to test your knowledge is to be able to teach it - remember, Albert Einstein used to say, "If you can't explain it simply, it means you don't know well enough." By turning your review into an activity you need to participate in, you make the study a little less monotonous and help your memory work more effectively.
- Ask open questions about any text or topic you need to review and write them in the margin or on a separate piece of paper. Try to think about the consequences if some elements have changed or developed differently. Whether it's science or history, even small changes can make big differences and the thought process is the important part.
Step 2. Remember and summarize
While you are studying, stop every now and then to recap what you have read. In your notes or at the bottom of the page, write a short summary - use a few sentences in your own words. A good way to remember is to write the notes by heart and then go back to them by filling in the gaps with another color of pencil or pen. You will know that the different color refers to information that you may have trouble remembering.
Periodically, try to repeat the synthesis process, writing on a separate sheet what you know about a particular topic or subject without consulting previous books or notes. Compare the new notes with the old ones, discovering what you have left and what you still need to memorize
Step 3. Draw or scribble freely as you study
For a visual learner, it is important to put the information into drawings or diagrams to make it easier to review in the long run. Patterns, mind maps, and freehand drawings can help you improve understanding and creating a memory aid much more easily than just reading the text. Don't be afraid to use colors in the same way - color your drawing or highlight text.
Step 4. Find someone who knows nothing about the subject and explain it to them
Even if you turn to the mirror or the cat, take some time to explain the topic as if the person is hearing it for the first time and you are the teacher. It is difficult to forget the information after following this process, because you will have made every effort to clarify the information in the most concise and simple way.
If no one is around, pretend you are being interviewed on the subject on TV or radio. Ask yourself a series of questions and answer as succinctly and clearly as possible, pretending that there are people who want to learn everything about the subject being listened to
Step 5. Try to use a study guide or an old exam questionnaire
By answering the questions from the previous test in the same time limit, you will simulate the real exam and have the opportunity to test yourself under the same constraints. You will have the opportunity to see if your knowledge presents any gaps to which you need to return and it will also be useful to understand if you can stay within the allotted time. Practice using a timer, which you may have on your phone. You may also find some important questions, who knows?
Step 6. Take breaks periodically to boost your concentration
If you take breaks regularly, your concentration will be better and you will find yourself holding onto more information than if you continued without stopping. Don't waste energy and time with a too tired mind that doesn't remember what it just read.
Try to stick to your program. Make sure you check topics and subjects as you review them. It can also be a good idea to reward yourself with a gift upon completing a goal. It is a good reason not to give up
Part 3 of 3: Finding Support
Step 1. Talk to your teachers
Consider them as part of your support network and use them for the resource they offer. Ask for their assistance when you know you need it. Knowing this in good time will make it easier for you to approach them and get their help.
Step 2. Review with other classmates
Find a group of good students hoping to pass the exam and schedule regular meetings, among other review activities. Discuss the issues of the review, helping each other solve problems, understand the materials, and test each other. Studying in a group can be a great way to reduce anxiety levels and make revision fun and productive.
- Find ways to test each other by creating challenge games. Use flash cards or structure your study sessions as if they were a quiz game. Chat online if you don't have time to see each other in person.
- Make sure that the time spent reviewing with friends is true. It may be best to review with those classmates you are not familiar with to make the study productive.
Step 3. Let your family help you
Your family members can help support you even when they cannot understand what you are learning. Ask them to ask you questions, explain problems, read with you, and help you stay organized. Parents and siblings who have experienced this type of review before will have some good ideas to help you prepare. Also, family and friends can be good moral support when you feel down or anxious about review.
You may need emotional support - if you can trust someone and tell them about your concerns, you will be able to relieve yourself of many unnecessary problems. While having someone available in person, you may want to confide in one another online or over the phone
Step 4. Relax
Try to give yourself time each day to do relaxing things, such as listening to your favorite music, going out for a walk or swimming, spending time with your pets or chatting with a friend. These activities will help you be relaxed and maintain a connection with others and the world as you continue to prepare for exams. You can also do some relaxation exercises, meditation or just lie down and rest from time to time.
Advice
- Do not take notes without criteria and do not copy large parts of text. Look at the old exams, see what the possible questions are, and base your review on topics that might be there. As explained above, take an active review approach for better results.
- Find someone to question you or read texts, cover them up and repeat them. This helps your brain with memory and fluency in exposure.
- Explain what you are reviewing to someone else - you will learn 95% of what you explain.
- Trust yourself. If you have a positive attitude, you will be better able to understand the information you need and remember it when it is needed.
- Create review cards and highlight the information; do not copy paro paro from the book! Answer the questions from past tests. See how to answer exam questions to get the highest possible score.
- Mix the materials. Identify the subjects you like best and those you like least and mix them into your review schedule. In this way you will not force yourself to make all the arguments you hate in a single moment but interspersed with those that you think are pleasant.
- Try to do new activities like concept maps and drawings to make the review more fun and interesting, and it will be easier for you to remember the information!
- You can record yourself while you go over with your phone, so when you go to sleep you can listen to yourself again and identify the topics that you have the most difficulty remembering. It will help you stay focused.
- Ask your parents or someone in charge to let you use your phone and similar items for only a limited amount of time each day. Do what you can to avoid distractions.
- Don't sleep too much in the morning - notions are more digestible in the morning.
