We are well into the school year now, and tests are starting to come up. It can be difficult to study for a test, especially after coming back from summer break. Below are some tips to make sure you can do the best you can on your upcoming test.
1. Study when sleepy
Studies have shown that you remember what you read before bed, because it’s the last big thing your brain will be focussed on remembering before going to sleep. You can also try to study a bit in the morning, because your brain still has a lot of room left to focus.
2. Study in a different place
If you usually study in your bedroom, study in your living room. By studying in a different place, you force your brain to make new associations with its surroundings which makes it less likely to forget new information.
3. Drink up
I don’t mean drink alcohol or coke, I mean drink a bit of coffee or tea, especially if you are studying in the night. The caffeine will help you stay alert, and can help you focus on your studying. It can also be refreshing and help soothe you.
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4. Gimme a break
Kitkat said it, and science agrees. Taking breaks can help increase productivity and improve your ability to focus on a task. Your break shouldn’t be so long that you lose focus, but it should be long enough to get your eyes away from the screen. For example, you could go on facebook for a few minutes, talk a small walk, or just relax. But remember to make sure that it’s just a small break, and don’t lose track of time.
5. New smell or taste
Studies have proven that utilizing your senses to study can help increase how much information you remember. For example, if you eat an orange when studying, eat an orange before the test to help jog your memory. Or you could spray a smell on your textbook, and then spray it on yourself before the test.
6. Take your time
Space out your work and take your time. You can’t expect to cram a night before the test and get 100%. You should take your time and space it out. Scientists have proven that if you review something multiple times over a period of time the information will start to transfer from your short term memory to your long term memory.
7. Quiz yourself
If your studying for a test, then test yourself! While it may seem obvious, many people don’t realize this is a great way to study. Also try making the questions based on the information you have to review, because this way you can make sure you have a good idea of what may be on the test. If you know what kinds of questions are going to be on the test, then try making those questions, for example multiple choice, short answer, matching, etc.
8. Study with a friend
Studying with a friend can make sure the information you are trying to remember is correct. There’s nothing worse then spending hours studying something and finding out it won’t be on the test. Plus if you have a friend who is taking the same test they can test you. Not to mention it’s a lot more fun to study with a friend.
9. Get active
Studies have shown that half an hour of exercise can help increase brain processing speed and other cognitive brain abilities. Not to mention exercises is good for you, and when you study for a test all day it’s important to get outside and enjoy yourself.
10. Learn what works
While these study tips help, they won’t help you if you don’t study, and these tips aren’t written in stone. Try these out, but do what works for you, because no one knows you better than you. While they have shown to work for a lot of people, they may not work for you, and that is perfectly fine, because these are study tips, and the point of a study tip is to make studying easier.
