Usually our blog posts are written for teachers, and super spirit centered, but we wanted to write a blog post for students this upcoming week considering midterms are approaching. If you’re a teacher feel free to share these study tips/advice with your students!
- Stop note taking for the purpose of re-reading. Studies show that you are more likely to retain information if you are fully present in class and not just mindlessly writing down everything on the board. Instead, make sure to write down key terms, practice questions, and take note of things you don’t fully understand so you can go back to them. When exam time comes, make these notes into flashcards and try to have background knowledge on each topic so when you take the exam you can better understand all the content as a whole.
- In classes that require problem solving instead of memorization (calc,chem,phys) make sure to take notes of the example problems during class as well as the textbook practice questions and just do them over and over until you have a good understanding of what the steps are for each problem set up. It can also be helpful to create a formula sheet with a ton of information and steps, that way you will remember them better during the exam. It’s also important to prioritize the homework in these courses because if you are having trouble with a question you can seek one-on-one help before the exam.
- This tip is not so much study related, but when taking a multiple choice test make sure to answer every single question even if you have no clue what the answer is. When leaving a question blank you are forfeiting any chance of getting that question right where as if you choose a random answer you raise the possibility of getting it right up by 25%. So basically if you have 1 minute left in an exam and 5 multiple choice questions left make sure to circle them all before handing them in.
- In classes that require a lot of essay work, and written creativity, your best tool ever will be exclusively following the written critique that each individual teacher gives you. If you receive a paper back with a tone of notes and pen scribbles all over, consider yourself set to get an A on the next paper as long as you follow that critique directly. Also remember that websites like Quizlet and Sparknotes are your friend if you are doing in class readings and getting confused.
5. Make sure to have a snack and wiggle your thumbs before a big exam, it wakes up your brain (or maybe it’s just a placebo, but I swear it works).
6. Lastly, stress is normal. It drives and motivates us but if you find yourself getting consumed by your school work and studying every night and weekend, then take a step back and relax. It’s normal to feel upset sometimes after an exam or after receiving a bad grade, and if you find yourself crying before you even take a test because you don’t feel ready, remind yourself of its weight on your grade and how little real importance it has in your academic success. Try to relax 5 minutes before an exam and clear your head, accepting that you are ready and capable will set you up better than using those last seconds to cram. If something big happened in your life and you didn’t have the opportunity to study properly, remember that teachers are people too and want to help you succeed – there’s a chance they may offer you an extension based on your circumstances.
Hopefully you found these tips helpful and not too overused. Minga wishes you the best of luck on all of your academic related endeavors and we hope to see you at the next big school event! Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for more fun.