With the spring semester drawing to a close, there is a mix of excitement and anxiety around campus. Why? Because each passing day brings us closer to finals.
Finals can be a huge stress trigger for a lot of people, especially for students who plan to graduate. But what if you didn’t have to stress so much?
There are all kinds of tips, tricks and hacks you can use to prepare for any kind of test. The following list of anxiety-crushing study tips will help you get through your exams and on your way to a stress-free summer.
1. Stay organized. Nothing can make a test scarier than if you don’t know what to study for. Group and save all relevant information in one spot that can easily be accessed, and then all you have to do is pull out the information and study it.
2. Make a schedule and stick to it. Routine is a college student’s best friend. Having a set routine in place can make you feel like you have control over anything. If you set aside a half an hour a day or an hour every other day for strict study sessions, there won’t be a test out there you can’t pass.
3. Quit cold turkey. Use a program that will stop your usage of distracting sites that are not relevant to your studying. Apps that can be used are Cold Turkey for PCs and Self Control for Macs.
4. Chew gum. Studies have shown that if you chew a certain flavor of gum when studying a certain subject and then chew that same flavor of gum during the test you are more likely to remember what you studied.
5. Make studying into a game. There are several different activities out there for those who need a little more stimulation when studying. A perfect example of this is the Gummy Bear Game.
Take gummy bears or any favorite candy and place them on the page you are reading. You can place them as close or as far apart as you want. But when you get to that section that the candy is lying on, you get to eat that piece of candy.
6. Color code your notes. When taking notes, make sure to switch colors every so often. Using the different colors will get your brain more involved in what you are trying to learn.
7. Study in a flash. Writing things down has been shown to help students process information better. So take a small index card and write down as many notes as you can fit on it, then read and review the information right up until test time.
8. Speak out loud when studying. For some students, auditory learning is one of the best ways to learn new material. If you can say it out loud and hear yourself repeat it several times over it will improve your memory on that subject.
9. Put formulas first. At the beginning of every test, the first thing to do — even before writing your name — is jot down as many formulas and relevant information that you can possibly think of. You can use the list as a reference when you go through the test.
10. Don’t overdo it. Pulling an all-nighter right before your exam will do more harm than good. Follow rule number two and take five-minute breaks for every 25 to 30 minutes of studying. You can also try the pomodoro method to set measurable study goals.
If you can apply any of these tips to your study regime, you will start feeling more prepared and less anxious at test time. School is only as fun as you make it, so while you’re here, make it as fun and as stress-free as you can.
