When exam season rolls around, most students resign themselves to long hours at the library, endless flashcards, and a lot of sleepless nights fueled by coffee. Exams are stressful — there’s no question about it. But there are a number of ways to reduce stress and work more efficiently, which will ultimately prevent burnout. Here are five key study tips for college that will help you prep for the big exams.
College Study Tip #1: Make a Study Schedule
Before you even start studying, plan out how much time you want to spend studying for each exam and when. This may change when you actually start studying, but it’s important to have a plan in place. It helps keep you accountable — instead of slacking off at the library for three hours and calling it studying, you can ask yourself if you really reviewed all your art history flashcards like you promised to.
College Study Tip #2: Take Practice Tests
Psychology research shows that one of the best ways — if not the best way — to solidify information in your memory is by testing yourself on it. That’s because simply reading over information (recognition) doesn’t activate the same types of memory systems (retrieval) that a practice test does. With the Internet at our fingertips, it’s easier than ever to find mock exams. Whatever exam you’re reviewing for, someone else has taken it too. You can find practice tests on many academic websites as well as sites anyone can contribute to, such as Quizlet.
College Study Tip #3: Establish a Reward System
What’s one great way to stay motivated? Giving yourself an incentive to do so. It doesn’t need to be big or expensive but choose something that will genuinely motivate you. Maybe you’ve been wanting to try a new coffee drink but couldn’t justify that splurge on an ordinary day. Or maybe you really wanted to go to a social event but felt guilty taking time away from the books. Or maybe you just wanted a nap! Make those little things incentives for sticking to your study plan, and you’ll get through more easily.
College Study Tip #4: Stay Hydrated
This may seem painfully obvious, but it’s too easy to skimp on water when you’re studying. No one wants to take frequent bathroom breaks, and when you’re already guzzling coffee, it might not seem necessary. However, caffeinated drinks actually dehydrate you more quickly, making it even more important that you keep up with your water intake. Being adequately hydrated is essential for staying focused, alert, and maintaining a good mood throughout your study sessions.
College Study Tip #5: Eat Healthy
Along with staying hydrated, eating is another human need that tends to be relegated to the back burner when you’re under stress. However, it’s imperative to fuel yourself regularly and keep your blood sugar stable so you can study effectively. You don’t want to get caught in the middle of a cram session with a growling stomach, so plan ahead. Eat a good meal beforehand and buy some protein bars and nuts and bring them along with you for an easy and healthy way to keep the hunger pangs at bay. Check out this list of healthy snacks that are known to improve mental performance such as memorization and focus.
Wrap-Up
Getting a college degree is one of the most important milestones in a person’s life. It can be an exciting phase with many challenges, but the key to success is preparation. So last but not least, plan something to celebrate the end of exams. You’ll have worked hard, and you deserve it! We hope these five study tips for college help you during your coursework.
College Test Prep
Here are a few links to websites that offer test prep and homework help:
Chegg: Chegg is a leading online education company that helps students find the best test prep and homework help for their classes.
Course Hero: CourseHero is one of the best resources for help with homework. Their team of experts helps students of all levels with math, science, writing, and more using videos, practice problems, interactive testing tools, and more.
Princeton Review: The Princeton Review offers study guides, online courses, and test prep resources to help students improve their standardized test scores.
