College students across the country are preparing for finals. Final exam grades can ultimately affect one’s ability to get a good job or internship, or gain entry into graduate school. With so much pressure, students often turn to unhealthy habits that undermine their academic goals. Read on for some tips on surviving exam period successfully.
Get Plenty of Sleep
You may be tempted to stay up all night cramming for exams, but going into a major test with little or no sleep is a bad idea. Sleep is crucial in helping us process information we’ve obtained. It won’t help to stay up all night if you can’t remember what you’ve studied. Maintain a regular sleep schedule during exam period and be sure to get a good night’s rest before your exams.
Eat Healthy and Exercise
Eating junk and being sedentary will make concentrating much more difficult. While preparing for final exams, eat a variety of healthy foods and get some form of exercise every day. Keep health snacks nearby and plan your meals so that you won’t give in to temptations as easily. Daily exercise will clear year mind, help you sleep, increase motivation and improve your ability to concentrate.
Eliminate Distractions
There are a lot of things that can distract you from studying – internet, games, and tv. But you have to block them out if you want to do well on your exams. Set a timer when you want to do something fun (internet, tv, phone, etc.) and stop when it goes off. This will allow you to have much needed breaks while still staying on track with your exam preparation.
Don’t Procrastinate
Procrastination leads to last-minute panic and long nights of cramming. If you want to make the best scores, you need to study every day – not just the day before exams. Set aside a time and place every to study and stick to your schedule. If you follow the above advice and eliminate distractions it will be much easier to remain focused.
Ask Questions
If you’re having trouble with a concept, don’t be afraid to ask your instructor questions. Set up an appointment so that you know your teacher will have the time to answer your questions fully, and come prepared. Be willing to put in the work and don’t expect your professor to give last minute extra credit when you haven’t shown an effort all semester.
There’s no magic trick that will make you pass your exams, but following the advice above will greatly improve your chances of earning higher test scores. Don’t procrastinate, eliminate distractions, get plenty of rest and retain healthy eat/sleep/exercise habits. Keep these tips in mind and you’ll be glad you made the effort when grades come in. For more advice, read our post on how to succeed in a college course.