Teenagers are busy people and it’s not easy balancing
school work, a social life, chores and a part time job. We’ve all been in that
situation where it’s the night before a big exam and we think to ourselves…
“I’m screwed!” No need to fret! We’ve put a list of techniques together that
will get your brain working overtime. So focus, throw away the cheat sheet and
learn how to cram for an exam.
Stay
Awake
Sleep deprivation does slow your cognitive abilities.
Focus and memory is essential for an exam but if it’s the night before, you
don’t have any choice. Keeping this in mind, you’re only option is to fill your
body with energy foods and liquids.
- Drink lots of water. It’s hard to sleep with a full bladder! Going to the bathroom every hour will also create a nice break from studying.
- Keep a block of dark chocolate in your work area. It’s full of caffeine and helps you focus.
- If possible, eat cheese, eggs, salmon or apples before and during studying.
- If you’re not a fan of coffee or energy drinks, apple juice is a great alternative.
- It is almost impossible to stay awake for the whole night. Keep this in mind and put a few hours aside to power-nap.
Remove
all Distractions
Think about all the things that distracted you from
studying in the first place. This includes your iPod, laptop, television,
tablet, gaming console or cell phone. The best way tolaptopgirl 267x300 How to
Cram for an Exam avoid distractions is to study outside of your bedroom. Make
sure you aren’t sitting on a bed or couch!
Focus
on the Essentials
It’s likely that you have less than 12 hours to study but
hundreds of pages to read. Don’t kid yourself into thinking you will be able to
read it all. Trying to read everything will make you more stressed and feel
defeated. Spend the first half of your time skimming and scanning through your
books and highlighting the key sentences. Now that you have sifted through the
crap and know what to focus on, you’re half way there.
Learn
to Remember
- The hardest part about passing a test is remembering the information you have attained. Breaking down information into easily digestible nuggets and keywords is the best way to retain your new knowledge.
- Chunking is a way of separating data into smaller blocks, such as hyphenating a phone number. Which string of numbers is easier to remember: 6650131124 or 664-013-1124? Repetition and writing it down in chunks will also help.
- Mnemonic devices invoke rhymes, acronyms or mental imagery as a way of making meaningless data more memorable (eg “I before E, except after C” or “ROY G BIV” initializes the colors of the rainbow in order).
Google
Search: (Your Subject) + Review
If your test is on a film, piece of music or literature
then Google is your best friend!
Everyone is a critic on the internet and there are
thousands of reviews on everything from light bulbs to Lamborghinis. Let’s say
for example you have to write an essay on “How The Social Network reflects
American society”. Simply by Googling “The Social Network review”, you have
pages of information covering the film’s plot, characters and underlying
themes. No need to cram for an exam when essential information is already there
for you to interpret!
DO
NOT DIRECTLY COPY THE CONTENTS OF A WEBPAGE OR YOU WILL FAIL THE TEST DUE TO
PLAGIARISM.
Simply use this new information to form an educated
opinion and learn about your subject in detail. Throw in a few lines about “how
it affects society” and you’re good to go!
Every hour, make yourself a quick list of five questions
relating to your test or exam. After making the list, take a five minute break
then use these questions to quiz yourself. Do not continue studying until you
can answer all five questions without making a mistake. You’ll thank yourself
on exam day when one of these questions comes up in the test!
Read
Aloud
Have you ever noticed that it’s easier to remember
information when it is spoken or heard in a recording? The same applies when
studying for a test. It might feel strange talking to yourself but you’ll be
glad on the day of your exam! If you’re not one for reading aloud, study with a
hard-working friend and quiz each other.
The
3 W’s
- Keep a window open in your study area. A lack of oxygen and excess heat in the room will make you overly comfortable and then sleepy.
- When taking a bathroom break, splash your face with cold water. It will wake you up and leave your face refreshed.
- Keep a pack of Wrigley’s chewing gum at your desk. It stops you from yawning and the repetitive chewing keeps your brain stimulated.
Breakfast
On the morning of the exam, make time to prepare a
slow-barb breakfast (or get Mom to make it). Cereal and banana is recommended.
Ask
Yourself
To prevent this from happening again, you must ask
yourself why you need to cram for an exam and if you have chosen a course that
is right for you. If you had no choice in the matter, work on your time
management skills and reorganize your social calendar.
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