1. Studying like a pro
Study
frequently: Studying
hard for only a few hours the night before the exam isn't going to help ensure
perfect scores. If you really want to ace those exams, study old and new
material every day, or at least several times a week. This will make
test-taking a breeze.
·
Take study breaks.
When you study, make sure you take a 5-10 minute break after every 30 minutes
of study. This will help keep your brain from getting overloaded and give it
more time to absorb the information.
·
On study breaks, try
not to fill your brain with more information, no matter what the information
might be.
Study
according to your learning style: You may know that different people have
different learning styles. Some people are visual learners, some people prefer
sound, some need physical motion, and so on. Know how you learn best and work
that into how you study.
·
For example, if you
learn better by physically doing things, try walking around while you study. If
you learn better with sounds associated with the information, listen to music
while you study. If you're a visual learner, make a chart of the information
you have to know.
Take advantage of sense memory. Your brain is pretty good at associating smells or sounds with ideas or memories. You should take advantage of this! While you're studying, wear some unusual cologne or perfume (with a smell you don't usually encounter) and then expose yourself to that smell again right before or during exam.
Listen to music. Your teacher probably won't let you have headphones during exam, but you should at least listen to music, specifically classical music, right before taking a test. Studies have proven that exposure to certain types of music right before rigorous mental activity can really help, by waking up your brain and increasing your awareness.
2.
Observing Your Body
Eat right. The most important thing is to eat, full stop. Being hungry during exam will distract you and make you tired. Don't eat too soon before exam though, as some foods can make you tired. Instead, make sure you get a meal filled with lean protein before you have to take exam.
·
Eating healthy will
generally boost brain performance too, so make sure you're always eating a
healthy diet to help you learn all through school.
Sleep well. If you don't sleep you won't be able to focus when the pressure's on! Make sure to go to bed early the night before exam, rather than staying up all night to study. Your brain won't be able to hold on to all that memorized information anyway.
Have all
the necessary supplies. Go for your exam with all of the calculators, pens, pencils, blank
paper, and other supplies you might need. Not having these things could mean
you'll have a much harder time.
Drink lots of water. Getting dehydrated during exam can be distracting and reduce your ability to think clearly. Stay hydrated before your exam and bring a bottle of water with you to the exam as well if necessary.
Don't do anything different. If you aren't used to drinking coffee, now is a bad time to start. Try not to do anything different in your basic routine the day of or the night before the exam. This can really throw you off.
