We’ve all been there, minutes before a big test or quiz and our palms a little sweaty and we’re nervous because we feel unprepared.
But it doesn’t have to be that way, some basic study tips and a little boost in confidence can go a long way in making you believe you’re capable of so much more than you think.
create a realistic study schedule
In my opinion this is probably one of the most important parts of this whole concept. You need to be realistic about how much you can handle over a period of time. Sitting down and mapping out reasonable chunks of work to take on every day will help you get to the goal of completing the whole task without burning yourself out. Say for example you need to get through 20 chapters of your textbook and you have 3 months to do it. Work backwards from there and spread it out over time. Don’t just save all the reading for 2 weeks before you need to be done, read a couple chapters every week and it will be way more manageable.
stick to that study schedule and make it a priority
This is the hard part. It’s easy to create a game plan but actually sticking to it for the weeks to come is what takes discipline and hard work. Sure it would be more fun to plunk down and watch TV but it’s always so much harder to play catch up than it is to just stay on top of your work in the first place. Tell your friends and family that after you get home from work or school that you need “X” amount of time to sit and study. They can’t blame you for trying to succeed and quite frankly, if they do mind; they probably aren’t your people.
leave time for review
Something else that’s proven to be quite helpful is also leaving time for review. There’s a good chance that there are a couple content areas that will trip you up. There will be way less pressure if you know you have time to come back to it later. Write it down, pencil to paper, in your hand writing, so you don’t forget to come back to it.
practice, practice, practice
Are there any practice tests you can take? Flash cards? Quizlet is a good source for study materials that other people have made. Practice tests, although they sound boing are such an important step because they point out the areas you need to work on more clearly than any other form. It can really narrow down what you need to review in those critical days before an exam
the day of
As tempting as it may be, my recommendation for the day of your test is to not look at anything. Nothing! Don’t even touch it! This sounds radical, I know. Stress is high and your brain is as full as it’s going to get. Take the morning and try your best to relax as much as possible. Stretch, breathe, do some yoga, drink coffee or tea, have a delicious and healthy breakfast to fuel you through the exam. Being in the right frame of mind, in my opinion, is half the battle. Trusting in your knowledge and knowing that you prepared to the best of your ability will give you all the confidence you need to sit down, take a deep breath and ace your test!
Any other tips you have that I missed? Leave a comment below and add to the list, I would love to hear from you!
