Exams are right around the corner and you’re still not prepared! Don’t worry though, there’s plenty of time to get your act together before exams start. Follow these 8 tips to keep yourself calm and relaxed while studying for exams so that you can walk into the test room feeling ready and confident about how well you know the material!
1) Sleep well the night before
It’s important to get enough sleep in general, but staying up late studying won’t help you perform well if you’re groggy and unfocused during your exams. Set a specific bedtime that allows for at least seven hours of rest, or make a rule about how many hours of studying you can complete before hitting your pillow. This way, when exam day comes around, you won’t risk stressing out from exhaustion.
2) Relax and enjoy your breakfast
It’s likely you haven’t had a chance to work on your coursework since dinner, so if you’re having trouble concentrating it might be because of low blood sugar. Try eating something light—fruit, toast or cereal with milk or yogurt—to give your brain a boost before sitting down to work. Never cram when you’re hungry!
3) Avoid temptation
It’s hard not to stare when a plate of chocolate-chip cookies sits in front of you. But try and push yourself—you can have one after your exam. If you’re having trouble avoiding temptation, set up rules with your roommates or friends: If I say ‘I can’t eat that,’ they know it must be important and will leave me alone until later, says Karpinski.
4) Drink some tea
Drinking tea helps keep your stress levels down. A recent study found that participants who sipped tea during stressful scenarios performed better on cognitive tasks than those who didn’t have a cup in hand.
5) Wear loose fitting clothes
Wear clothing that makes you feel comfortable and look at your body as a whole when picking out what to wear. Clothes that fit too tight or too loose can influence how confident you feel on exam day, so dress in a way that boosts your self-esteem. Loose clothing also allows for better circulation, which helps reduce stress.
6) Don’t cram too much in your brain
There’s a lot of pressure on you when it comes to exams. Many students feel like they have to put everything in their brain at once in order to do well, but that leads to high anxiety levels and a sense of overwhelm. Instead, make an effort not overstuff your brain with too much information at once. If you can take a slow approach and absorb information as you go, there’s less chance for brain freeze during exam time!
7) Don’t study in bed
While some people find it easier to concentrate when lying down, there’s something about studying in bed that makes us feel like we have time for a quick snooze. Make your study session as short and productive as possible by preparing beforehand. Organize your notes, create flashcards and set a timer for breaks so you don’t feel too tempted to relax.
8) Go with your gut feeling
If you’re having doubts about an answer, try changing your answer and seeing how that feels. If it makes you nervous, chances are you were right before. If your answers start feeling more comfortable with every question, on the other hand, it’s probably a sign that you should stick with what you wrote down in previous exams. So relax—and take a deep breath if need be—and trust your gut. It may just help lead you to an A+!
Thanks for reading and I hope it will help you a lot!
Tags:
Study tips