In today’s competitive world, coming second is not an option for many. Most people want to dominate the crowd by topping an exam, winning a challenge, or securing a job in a multinational firm.
Do you think people only rely on hard work to achieve such feats? No. Individuals these days work smart, not hard, to win an impossible challenge – in this case, scoring well in exams.
If your final exams or semester-end papers are around the corner, you should be looking into making the most of your study time. Students can perform various productive activities to enhance their exam preparation. These activities do not revolve around locking yourself up in your room all day and staring at your books.
Practical study tips and tricks can help students fight exam stress and considerably increase their grade point average. If you are ready to take on that challenge, use the following study tips to improve your prospects when preparing for exams.
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Here are seven tips to prepare smarter, not harder, for exams as you head into finals:
1. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
Students believe that asking for help from fellow students, teachers, or professionals might make them look weak. However, that is not true. Asking for help makes individuals look stronger because they are not afraid of trying their best to become better by learning from others.
For instance, if you are preparing for the CPA exam – enroll yourself in a CPA Exam Review course to get professional help when things get tough. It is always good to seek help and guidance as it will enhance your learning experience, and you won’t have to work hard to get things done. Be smart and get the help you need.
2. Don’t Leave Anything For The Last Minute
Students are only motivated by deadlines to finish their pending work. It explains why most people keep procrastinating till the last minute. However, if you stick to the same pattern of delaying work when preparing for exams, you won’t be able to finish your syllabus on time.
Last-minute cramming only brings students stress and panic, which further reduces an individual’s ability to learn. Manage time well by creating a study schedule and doing your best to follow it. It will not only reduce your stress but will also make you more productive.
3. Don’t Keep Your Study Space Messed Up
Did you know that the space you live in affects your behavior? According to a psychological theory called Psychology of Space, the surroundings a human resides in majorly impacts their internal thought process. In simpler words, a messy space defines a cluttered mind, while a clean space defines a healthy mind. Therefore, students need to keep their study space clean and organized to promote a better learning experience.
4. Don’t Stick to One Pattern of Learning
Humans tend to lose interest in things that follow a routine. The trick to enhancing learning performance is to make the study time fun and interesting. Try creating study placards or visual aids (power points and diagrams) to make study hours enjoyable. Organize group studies with friends, challenge yourself with old subject papers, and debate and discuss topics to add diversity to the learning process.
5. Don’t Exhaust Your Mind and Body
Studying for extended hours isn’t the key to success. If you keep studying for a very long time while sitting in the same place, your mind and body are bound to get tired. Studies showcase that taking regular breaks recharges your body that promotes long-term retention of knowledge and information.
A change of environment can also help you become more productive. Exhausting your mind and body is never the right way to get what you want to achieve. It will only increase stress and nothing else.
6. Don’t Forget About the Basic Human Body Needs
Drinking. Sleeping. Bathing. These things might seem trivial to students during exam season, but they are the fuel to your body. Students must not neglect the basic necessities of life only to save more time for studying. Take a proper diet, enjoy 8 hours of sleep, and invest in a relaxing bathing session. These will help you stay active and perform well in the exams.
7. Don’t Leave Your Exam Day Unplanned
While students may plan out every minute of their preparation days to study for exams, they seldom focus on planning the most important day – the exam day. What if you are late for the exam because you missed the bus or your uniform wasn’t ironed?
Imagine starting your day with this level of anxiety. Every bit of effort you put into studying for the exam will go down the drain because your instructor doesn’t allow latecomers to sit for the exam. Take control of your circumstances, and don’t leave anything to chance. Plan every bit of your exam day – from stationery to transport to uniform, etc.
Conclusion
The trick to making the most out of your exam preparation experience is not stressing yourself out in doing everything. Each person has a different way of learning and looking at things; therefore, not every studying technique works for every student.
Explore your personality and determine which methods mentioned above work best for you. While these tips and tricks can help you organize your study timeline well and enhance your learning experience, they don’t guarantee success.
It all depends on how well you apply these study techniques to your life and how badly you want to achieve a great score on your exam. The end decision is yours.
Hope is article be of great help to you. Happy Reading.