Exam taking is a grueling process. Preparing for it is even more challenging. Sometimes you have that itch to stay glued onto the books and try to input everything into your brain. Other times, though, you just don't know what to do with the loads of lessons to study about. Here are some tips in better preparing for a test.
Motivate First you should motivate yourself. Reviewing is useless if your heart is not into it. Being in an environment where you knew lots of people are also bent on studying can help you focus and maintain that drive to prepare for the exam. Also, take note of your reasons for acing the exam. Give yourself multiple positive objectives. It is like setting the mood for it. After all, if you are not emotionally prepared, you wouldn't expect yourself to be mentally and physically prepared for the test as well.
Memorize After motivating yourself, check how reliable your memory is. It can come in handy especially if you have lots of concepts to remember. Take memory-enhancing games and puzzles. Every day make it a point to memorize at least ten terms or ideas. As the days succeed add ten concepts for every item you have mastered. Do not even think of cramming. It sort of makes your mind go blank on that fateful examination day.
Take Notes If you have the materials, try to summarize them by listing down what you know in bullet points. It does not only test your skill in memory recall, but it also gauges how well you have been studying. Gather pertinent hand-outs, lessons, notes, and books about the subject you are to take an exam for. Reread your notes and try to recall how they were discussed by your professor. Look for a review buddy because studying by yourself might eventually result in laziness. Peer tutoring can be advantageous, especially if you and your partner complement each other when it comes to subject knowledge.
Mock Up Test Giving yourself a mock test will help a lot, too. Determine the format of the exam. It will aid you in devising the test-taking techniques so that you can answer the exam without taking too much time. For example, for multiple-choice tests, choose the one that is closest to the real answer. As much as possible, choose between two options only. The other two are intended to confuse you. It shouldn't take you a long time on an item. If you do, you are risking the rest of the test items, and you might not even get to finish the exam.
Focus When you study, choose the perfect time and place for you where there are no distractions. Likewise, you must determine your learning style. You might find it more comfortable studying in the library than at your own home.
Remember that reviewing allows you to recount the lessons and process them more systematically. Give yourself an ample time in studying, and beat the nervousness. When you know you have studied well, then you wouldn't really have to worry about taking the test.
