How to Create Good Study Habits for Exams

Buy an extra notebook for each subject at the beginning of the year. Every time you complete a chapter in class, you can take notes and summarize in that notebook immediately. Class activities will be fresh in your mind so during exam time, just bring your notebook home from school to review. Write down the key points you learned from each lesson on flashcards. This will help recall some of the important events of the day. Check the flashcards on the weekend. Ask a parent or close friend to ask you questions about the notes.

Save notes to a tape recorder or other electronic device (you can also use your phone), listen to them in your free time or sound as if you were listening to an audiobook, focus on the words and try to take notes remember every time you listen. Researchers have also found that listening to audio notes while sleeping can enhance memory.

Learn how to create mind maps, group maps, PowerPoint presentations, and some memory aids. Mind mapping is a method of using symbolic illustrations of a subject and is a great memory aid, especially in exams. This tool is suitable for flash-carding and memory-retrieving.

As soon as you finish a topic, find a book from the library and read more information about it. Find the answer to the question you’re wondering and try to remove any ambiguity that may arise while studying the topic. Take notes in response to questions before or during the test.

Do not create a rough draft of the essay. You just need to directly create the copy carefully. During the exam, you won’t have time to write down a full draft, so practice writing a copy right away. Make sure the copy is complete, with correct punctuation and spelling errors, and that the information is logical and focused on the topic.

Schedule the test day by marking the date on the calendar so that you can prepare well until test day.

Make a list of classes and topics covered in class. When studying a topic, mark it in a way that is understandable to you to remind yourself which topic has already been studied.

Set aside time to study each day when you’re not feeling too tired or too hungry. If studying for a long time, remember to take a break every 20 minutes or so.

Create a study group. Study groups can share notes, thoughts and ideas, or ways to solve or capture a particular problem. Make sure you respect the classroom rules about what can or can’t be done in groups.

Plan a ‘trial’ for yourself. All you need is to retake one of the previous tests or oral exams within a limited time. Set up test mode by clearing your desk and leaving your exam paper, pens, and a few other supplies needed for the test.

Make a plan for academic success and do it with perseverance. As long as you are healthy, you should carry out your plan, whether feeling strong or weak, tired or energetic, lazy or motivated, focused or distracted, discouraged or have spirit. Realize that you have control over every moment that counts, and don’t let your feelings fool you.

Get enough sleep at night. It’s hard to concentrate when you sleep less than 6 hours the night before. Aim to get about 8 to 10 hours of deep sleep to really feel clear and ready for anything in the morning.

When choosing individual subjects, start with the least interesting or most difficult subject. Master it, and you’ll slowly fall in love with it. Or at least you won’t have to worry about postponing the course until it’s too late just because you don’t like it.