Doesn’t it always seem to happen that all of your tests end up during the same week? This seems especially true for the first tests of the semester, when you’re extra nervous anyway because you don’t yet know what to expect from each one. The first tests of the semester may have passed, but mid-terms are upon us, which means another ambush of tests! If you’re anything like me, it can be pretty overwhelming when you have seemingly 1,000,000 other things going on during the week PLUS multiple tests to study for.
Here are some things that help me keep the stress level to a minimum:
1. Don’t Procrastinate. Easier said than done, I know! Even though I always say I’m going to review my notes a little bit each day after class, that never happens. However, about a week out from the test, I start reviewing a little each day. This prevents the night-before-the-test panic/cram session. If I have a lot of tests close to each other, I plan out which ones I’ll review for each day leading up to the tests. That prevents me from getting overwhelmed by too much studying in one day!
2. Get Sleep. The night before the test, I do some last minute reading through of my notes and then get to bed at a normal time. Getting a good night’s sleep is important for allowing all of that information to get absorbed. Plus, it’s important to be well-rested heading into a test.
3. Feel Confident. No matter what, always make sure you go into the test confident. Instead of stressing and trying to cram every last bit of information in right before the test, I just sit calmly and relax while I wait for the test to be handed out. I tell myself that I’ve done all the preparation I could do and if I don’t know it by that point, I won’t be able to learn it in the last minutes before the test. I think this time right before the test is a good time to just clear your mind and get ready to do your best.
4. Don’t Doubt. Sometimes I’ll find myself second-guessing an answer and every time I change it, I end up getting it wrong! Your first instinct is usually right and it’s when you start thinking too much about a question that you end up getting it wrong. Of course, there are times when I just didn’t read the question properly, so it’s always a good idea to do a quick check before turning it in. However, professors usually aren’t out to trick you, so your first instinct is probably right on those tricky questions!
What are some ways that you prepare for tests?
No comments:
Post a Comment