How To Study For Exams

Are you a last minute crammer? Do you wait until the night before an exam then stay up all night hoping something will stay in your brain long enough to help you pass your exam? If so, we’d like to encourage you to rethink your study habits.

Last minute cramming only lasts long enough to take the test, which means as you progress in your studies, you’ll have to relearn what you should already know. So when should you begin studying for your exams? How about the moment you begin receiving in-class assignments and homework?

Studies have shown that students retain more information when they study in small chunks of time over a long period of time, versus studying in one large chunk of time over an extremely short period of time.

The best way to study is to make sure you understand the concepts being presented—even if it means seeking help after the assignment is turned in.

Once you understand the concepts, it’s time to begin memorizing what you’ve learned and the best way to do that is to break large chunks of information up into bite-size, digestible chunks of information.

Once you’ve broken the information up into smaller chunks, choose a study method that works best for you:

• Study cards – write information down using keywords and bullet points.
  
• Cue cards – use acronyms to help remember phrases.
  
• Diagrams – use pictures and charts to help remember sequences and important information.
  
• Recorders – when information is really complicated to remember, record the information and listen to it during drive time and rest periods.
  

Come back on Monday to learn more about taking college tests.

Where Not To Study

Have you ever thought, “I just can’t concentrate?” Perhaps it has nothing to do with what you’re trying to study and more to do with where you are studying. The next time you find yourself feeling frustrated because you can’t concentrate or remember the terms you’ve just reiterated ten times to yourself, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Is the lighting poor?
   Poor lighting causes eyestrain which makes it difficult to continue studying for long periods of time. Eyestrain can also cause headaches which can put an end to your study time before it even starts.
   
   
2. Are there too many people coming and going?
   When studying with a group of people, you might think hanging out in a public place, such as the library, a restaurant, a coffee house, or bookstore is the ideal place to study but nothing could be further from the truth.
   
   Every opening and closing of the door, every customer order, ever cell phone that rings, every cell phone that gets answered, and every social gathering provides one more distraction that eats away at your study time. Just think about it. When you overhear a conversation about someone at working getting fired, or a boyfriend that was caught cheating on a girlfriend, can you honestly stop listening? Or do you find yourself caught up in the gossip, then discussing it with your study partners?
   
   
3. Are there too many things keeping you from studying?
   Even home can be a bad place to study if you allow things to distract you from the task at hand.
   
   When was the last time you found studying at home or in your dorm satisfactory? When was the last time you found it impossible to study, even though you were comfortable with your surroundings?
   
   Do you find yourself tempted to clean, wash the dishes, fold the laundry, browse the Internet, chat on the telephone, or do countless other “well-meaning” tasks just to avoid the subject of study? If so, you may need to rethink where you study.
   

Come back on Monday as we discuss How To Study For Exams.