Are you too busy or procrastinating to study for an exam? It's hard to get an "A" or "100" if you study fast, but at least you don't get an "F" or "zero". Follow the steps below and prepare to study hard the night before the test.
Step
Part 1 of 2: The Night Before the Exam
Step 1. Take good notes
If you have little time to study, then it is very important for you to have good notes or note-taking skills so that the night before the exam you can study optimally.
- Find out what is really important to learn. If your teacher holds a review class before the exam then take that opportunity. You can find out what topics the teacher thinks are important and you have the opportunity to ask questions (but if you study fast or on a whim, you may also have too many questions to ask before the exam). Many teachers provide grids, so make sure you take advantage of them. Although maybe the grid is not the whole test material but at least you will know the main topics.
- Read all your notes. If you are always present then there should be a note that you can read. If not, just a photocopy of a classmate. Your notes are "gold" because they contain important things that your teacher thinks are most important to discuss.
Step 2. Pay attention to important concepts
As you read the notes, find all the important definitions, concepts, and formulas. If you don't memorize it by heart, then write it down on paper (your flash notes) or in notes (small notes). These quick notes will help you review what's important and they can be used as easy-to-carry reading cards.
- Rewriting also helps to memorize lessons. If you're a quick learner by looking, this can be very useful. If you are a fast learner by listening then say whatever you write on the quick note.
- If you have time, rewrite your quick notes a few times. It seems like an exaggeration, but if you want to quickly memorize facts and information then this trick is useful. If you have to learn formulas or practical material then this method is not good.
Step 3. Learn effectively
Of course you won't have time to learn everything that might come out on the exam, but you can narrow down the possibilities that will come out and find ways to focus on those parts.
- Identify important topics. Revisit your grid and quick notes, and find out which photocopying topics are the most important or the most frequently repeated in your printed book. Review important sections of a printed book and write down any new information you find that seems important. Don't write everything down, but identify certain concepts, facts, or formulas that are most likely to come out on the exam; focus on them as much as possible.
- Pay attention to the beginning and end of each chapter in the printed book. The page at the beginning of the chapter shows the key points for understanding the chapter. The final page usually summarizes the contents of the chapter, explains or highlights important points, and for math textbooks there may also be a list of important formulas at the end.
- Try to imagine the possible essay questions (if the exam includes essay questions) and how you would answer them. At this stage you should have a simple picture of the test material. Think of a series of concepts and outline your answer to the essay question (doodle on paper).
Step 4. Do a short exercise
This is where the results of your study appear. Absorb all the information you have obtained, test yourself, and make a quick assessment of how your understanding results. From here you can see which areas you have not mastered and need to focus more.
- Review your reading cards or flash notes first. Repeat important topics quickly. If you have memorized a topic or formula, then you can "tick" the topic or the reading card can be put aside first. If additional questions arise, look in notes and printed books.
- Test yourself. If your teacher gives you an exercise sheet, do it now. Otherwise, work on the practice questions or questions at the end of each chapter of your textbook. Do the questions for the material that you think is most important. Don't spend too much time on one question, just mark it first and think about it later after you assess the results of your own practice.
- Assess the results of your own practice. Be honest with your judgment. If you're not honest, you'll have a hard time in the actual exam. Pay attention to your mistakes and then look for answers on your card or flash note. Maybe you need to create a new reading card or redo a concept that you thought you had already mastered.
Step 5. If you can't remember important things, then your learning method is still problematic, then you need to apply a memorization strategy
The brain actually never forgets. "Forgetting" something is simply a failure to store information properly, a failure to retrieve it, or a failure to store information in an easy-to-find form. Practice some simple memorization techniques to make your lightning study even more powerful.
- Try using "donkey bridge" or mnemonic device. It's just a fancy term for a "reminder tool," which is a quick and simple trick to remembering things. Remember when your teacher taught the word "mejikuhibiniu" to help remember the order of the colors of the rainbow? Making such abbreviations include "donkey bridge".
- Try using "benchmarks" for memorization. Maybe with a slogan, or linking it to a visualization you recognize, or creating a story so that it's easy to remember. Try taking information that is usually digested by one sense (words are usually digested by visualization) and try to digest it with another sense.
- Try creating groupings. The point is to organize by category. For example, if you are studying Finance, try to group things like stocks, bonds, funds, etc., into one big category, namely: securities, and understand what that category means. Group the main points under one concept.
Step 6. Clean up and sleep
Sometimes you don't get enough sleep, but try to get as much sleep as possible before the test. It's a good idea to finish most of your crash lessons before going to bed and then after waking up a little more. If you stay up late, you will be tired and tend to be careless during the exam.
According to research, lack of sleep can reduce memory. Not only that, but lack of sleep will make things you memorized at the last second harder to remember. So it's best to learn as much as possible and as quickly as possible before going to bed, then go to bed earlier
Part 2 of 2: On Exam Day
Step 1. Have a light, nutritionally balanced breakfast at least an hour before the test
Don't just eat carbohydrates, but try to eat foods high in protein (eggs), which contain omega-3 fatty acids (salmon), fiber (black soybeans), or eat fruits and vegetables.
Several types of foods are very good for improving brain function and are very healthy, for example: blueberries, salmon, nuts and seeds, avocados, pomegranates, green tea, and dark chocolate. Maybe you can have a breakfast or two of these foods
Step 2. Plan a study session together
While in the car or bus you can study with friends. Get some friends an hour before the test and then you can test each other on some key points. Make sure the lesson stays fresh in your mind. Don't let the learning session together turn into just chatting.
Step 3. Retrace all your flash notes and reading cards once again
Just before the exam starts, you can retrace all your quick notes and reading cards, even if it feels like you've memorized them all. Use it so that all the information is fresh in your memory during the exam. If you have trouble remembering a certain definition or formula, try writing it down six or seven times in a row. That way it will be imprinted in your brain.
Step 4. Identify which part is the most important and must be remembered
In memorizing, all information and formulas can be broken down into 3-4 words per entry, not more than that. Look at the important posts for 1-2 minutes. Full concentration! Confirm memorization by writing it down one more time before moving on to another section.
Step 5. Arrive early and make time to go to the toilet
Enter the exam room at least 5 minutes early, and make sure to go to the toilet beforehand. So you will not suddenly have the urge to urinate during the exam. Sit quietly, relax, and visualize gets good marks.
Tips
- When the question sheet has been distributed, you can rewrite important things that are prone to being forgotten on the back or side of the question sheet. This is called a legal cheat, as long as it's not a direct copy of your notes.
- Advice from a fast learner: it's very effective to reread any homework that's ever been given and then ask friends or family to test you.
- If you feel really nervous, try washing your face and taking deep breaths. Everything will be fine.
- Do not sleep at night, because you will be tired the next day. If you are tired, you will find it difficult to concentrate during the exam. Have a good study! Good luck!
- If you chew gum the same way during your exam as you did while studying, this can help you think and remember more.
- Try explaining the test material to a friend or family member, this can help memorize.
- Try solving sample problems from years past.
- Creating a personal study guide can help put all the things you've mastered aside and you can focus on writing down the things you still need to remember.
- Before starting the exam, make sure you read all your notes at a glance -- in case you've missed a detail, it's better to be safe than sorry.
- Before the test try a little exercise. Jogging or jumping in place for example. Exercise can improve blood flow and relax you, but it can also make you more alert.
- Anyway, just study! Start with the easy part, so when you're done at least you feel like you're making progress and will be motivated again.
- It depends on which study method works best for you, but there are people who can help rewrite all the material.
- Take short, regular breaks during study. Short breaks can maintain concentration levels and also prevent fatigue. Every 50 minutes of study interspersed with a break for 10 minutes.
- Remove any potential distractions. If you can study without a computer, it's better to study away from the computer, or turn off the internet while studying. If you need the internet for research then you have to be able to restrain yourself.
- Read until it is clear. Auditory memorization is often more effective when learning fast than just reading silently.
- While studying, try to think of ways to amaze the assessors with the improvised materials you study. Try to write down a topic in a different way than others who just memorize the contents of a printed book or notes. The first sentence of an essay should be able to attract attention. Remember that first impressions are very important, so first answer the questions that you are best at.
Warning
- Lack of sleep and caffeine consumption are very unhealthy and should be avoided as much as possible. Lack of sleep also makes your reaction time sluggish, so if you've just been studying until you stay up late, it's best not to drive a motorized vehicle to and from the exam site.
- Even if the test results are good, don't expect to be able to remember all the lessons in the next few days. People usually remember that learning is gradual. Fast learning only helps you remember for the short term. If you need to use the course material again later (eg math formulas) then you will have to study it again after the exam.
- Dont cheat! Get a score of 50 but the results of your own efforts are better than "plagiarizing" someone else's 100. Even if you don't feel guilty, remember that the risk is enormous. Teachers don't like students who cheat, and this impression will have more than zero impact on paper. In the future they will be stricter in assessing all your homework and assignments, and if one day you need a teacher recommendation they will likely refuse and bring up your cheating problem. There are also schools that apply a punishment in the form of suspension.
