8 best study tips for exams

By Lauren Chalouhi

Are you getting ready for exams? Give yourself the best chance with these eight study tips. Try not to let the stress get to you! One thing you need to remember, you’ve got this.

1. Give yourself enough time to study
Don’t leave all the studying until the last minute. Even though students do seem to do well on last-minute studying, it’s been accepted that for most of us, it’s not the best way to go with an exam. To help this problem, create a timetable for your studying. Write down how many exams you have and the day you do them, then organize your study time accordingly. You may struggle with more topics than another, so find a balance that works for you.

2. Organize your study space
One of the best things is to have a clean and comfortable desk to spread all your books and notes out. Do you have enough pencils at your desk? Is your chair comfortable to sit on for a couple of hours? Is my phone out of sight? Try to get rid of all distractions to be able to stay focused. Some people might focus with complete silence, and some people would prefer some nice background music. Think about what environment works best for you, a tidy and organized desk, or for some people they work best in a bit of a cluttered environment.

3. Practice on old exams
One of the best ways to be prepared for an exam is to practice past versions. This will help you get used to the format of the questions. You can also time yourself taking the test, this is good practice to make sure you spend the right amount of time on each question.

4. Explain your answers to someone
Parents and siblings can be more helpful than you know. Use them to your advantage. Go through a question with them and explain the answer to them. This will help to get it clear in your head and focus on areas you need to work more on. You can use this method on anyone. Friends, family, even a pet. Speaking out loud helps you understand more and point out your mistakes.

5. Create study groups with friends
Get some friends together for a study session. You might have questions that they will have the answers to and the same for them. As long as you stay focused on the topic you’re studying for an agreed amount of time, this can be one of the best ways to study. Even if you are all studying in silence, having other people around you helps motivate you to study.

6. Take breaks
Many people think that it’s best to study as many hours as possible, but this can actually be inefficient. Taking regular breaks really helps. Everyone is different so develop a study routine that works for you. If you study better in the morning, then start early and then take a break when it’s lunchtime. If you are more productive at night, then take some breaks earlier so you are ready to settle down during the evening. Some people do the 30-10 method. Study for 30 minutes then take a 10-minute break if you feel like that’s too long or short for you then adjust it to what fits best for you.

7. Vary your locations
Changing the place where you study could be helpful. One day it can be in your room, the next day a cafe next to your house, go over to a friend’s house and study together, go to your living room, etc. Changing locations is a helpful way to stay more productive than being in one room for long periods of time over and over again.

8. Plan for your exam day
Make sure you have everything prepared in advance of the exam. Don’t leave it the day before and then realize you don’t know what to bring. Have your calculator already in your bag if you need it, have a pen and pencil ready. If you have an exam first thing in the morning, you don’t want to arrive late running through the hallways stressed and out of breath. Leave your house 5-10 minutes earlier than you usually do. It’s always better to be earlier, it gives you time to go over any last minute questions and time to prepare your desk.

We all have different ways and methods for preparing for exams. As you take more and more exams, you will find ways that do and don’t work best for you, and learn the best ways to prepare. For the moment, these tips should give you a good starting point to help you study.

Good luck!