The final stretch is approaching, the last exams are coming, and for many, this is the decisive grade to pass or fail a subject.
Whether you are in this group or interested in learning tips to improve your exam performance, keep reading this post with seven tips we have prepared for you from ACADEMIA DE ESTUDIOS UNIDOS.
1. Plan and organize yourself
It is important to be realistic and know how much time we have to prepare for a subject. The first thing we need to do is add the exam date to our agenda or calendar. Once we know how much time we have until the exam, whether it is months or days, we need to know how much time per day or week we can dedicate to studying the subject. Here, we can give another touch of realism; for example, if it's Saturday and I say, "I have the whole day to study"... let's be realistic, taking away eight hours of rest, we are not going to spend 16 hours studying. Why? Because we need to eat, clean ourselves, interact with other people, and most importantly, take breaks. Therefore, we are going to divide the syllabus into blocks and include breaks, considering that dedicating many hours in one day does not result in better learning. Sometimes, with less dedication but excellent concentration, we will achieve better study results than spending "the whole day" and actually only concentrating for the first 15 minutes.
2. Study environment
After knowing when we have the exam, the next thing, if we haven't already designated it, is to know where we will have our study space. Within the study space, we find that the room should be clean, a quiet place, and a well-lit space. Of course, without distractions. Our study space also includes the desk or table where we will have all the material, books, and notes at hand so as not to get distracted and waste time looking for them while studying.
3. Study methods
We have different methods, and none is better than the other. In this regard, we believe that all of them together improve the understanding of the subjects.
Taking notes: besides the notes you take when you are in class, it is important to take notes while you read or listen to the study material. Write down key points and summarize them in your own words for better understanding.
Using flashcards: they are useful for memorizing concepts, formulas, and vocabulary.
Self-assessments: make quizzes or practice exams to evaluate your learning.
4. Memorization techniques
Spaced repetition: this method advises us to let some time pass before rereading our notes. According to psychologist Pierce Howard, we must allow time for neural connections to solidify. That is, after studying, we should do other tasks to give the brain enough time to encode and store the information.
Mnemonics: this technique consists of using acronyms, rhymes, or associations to remember information through prior knowledge, making it easier to recall. A technique you have surely used unconsciously and may not have known belongs to this category is: the months with 31 days are the knuckles of the hands, and the months with fewer days go between the spaces of the knuckles formed when you close your hand.
5. Healthy habits
Get good sleep: to have proper memory consolidation, it is necessary to have adequate rest in terms of hours of sleep, quality, and at the appropriate time.
Eat well: a rich, balanced diet with all the nutrients our body needs for proper functioning improves our concentration and energy.
Exercise: besides reducing the stress that having one or more exams can cause us, exercise improves our concentration.
6. Relaxation and stress management techniques
As we have already mentioned, exercise will help reduce our stress, but we can also include deep breathing to help reduce anxiety and improve our concentration. This relaxation technique consists of breathing slowly and deeply, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. The diaphragm, which is the muscle that separates the thorax from the abdomen, and the abdominal muscles are used.
On the other hand, meditation, which is a mental training that will give us a feeling of calm, peace and balance to improve our emotional well-being. We can do it sitting on the floor or lying on our back. Starting with a deep breath and keeping our body relaxed. With our eyes closed we will focus on our breathing, avoiding thinking, or rather, letting all types of thoughts pass by, without focusing on any. Letting ourselves flow like water and not stopping so as not to stagnate and get stressed.
Also, practicing mindfulness will help us calm our mind and focus better. It is a meditation technique that seeks to mentally train us to focus attention and redirect thoughts. That is, it is about experiencing our environment with all our senses, touch, hearing, sight, smell and taste. First we will take deep breaths, observe our thoughts and identify our emotions.
7. Collaboration and support
Study groups: Exposing and discussing the material among peers will not only help with better understanding, but will also provide different perspectives. In a more active and dynamic way, resolving doubts in the moment, in this way enriching feedback is generated. It is also a way to reduce stress, be careful that there are no people within the group who generate the opposite feeling in you. and it will increase the fixation of the agenda in us.
Seek help: we, as the Study Academy, are here to help you study in a more efficient and effective way, increasing your chances of success in the exams.
The ideal is not to leave coming to us until the last minute, since, if we prepare the subject in advance, you will have personalized follow-up according to your needs. Another benefit is that a study habit is created, a routine of guidelines that will help you deal with studying and successfully pass the subject.
