My Ultimate Guide To Crack Your Exams
Exams play a pivotal role in every student's academic life. However, many students struggle with getting good grades and effectively retaining information. In this article, we will explore study methods and exam strategies to help you secure good marks.
Understanding the Main Purpose of Studying and Having an Exam
Before we dive into the topic, we first need to talk about why we need exams in the first place. In school, students learn a lot of subjects. With so many subjects to keep up with, students mainly tend to focus on the subjects they think are the 'most useful' to them. But most students do not know how to study! They think studying is all about memorizing, but actually, it is not! Studying is about understanding what was taught in class. Simply sitting down and claiming that you know and understand everything you've learned isn't enough to persuade most people, and that's why we have exams. Exams might seem annoying, but they are just a way of checking a student’s understanding. We will talk later about how to study for exams.
Study Smarter, Not Harder
Firstly, there is a big difference between studying smarter and studying harder. Many students jump to conclusions and think, “I simply have to study for a long time (like 5 hours at a time) to get better grades.” But actually, they are wrong. Yes, mastering something takes a lot of work and time, but it is possible to make it easier. Here's an example of a good study routine:
- Always make sure you're organized while studying. Also, sit down in a quiet spot without any distractions to get the most out of your study session.
- Get rid of all electronic devices and social media checks.
- Then just start studying with full confidence and energy.
- Try studying for 25-30 minutes continuously, without any distractions.
- Then take small breaks of 5-10 minutes. Make sure you spend this time on your favorite activities, but try to avoid social media.
- After the break, your body automatically restores the energy you spent on your previous part of studying.
- Then continue your work again with the same trend.
Ways to Get Better Marks in Exams
Don't think of exams as a nightmare. As I mentioned before, they are just a way of checking whether you understand the concept. To get better marks, you need to be better at studying. This starts in class and continues when you study alone. Here is a good way to boost your grades:
- First, try to be very attentive in the lessons and do not hesitate to ask questions about the parts you don't understand. Also, don't forget to take notes and jot down key points!
- After school, when you get home, quickly look through all the notes you made. Even if it's just once, it helps the information stick better.
- Of course, practice makes perfect. Always make sure to constantly revise and solve questions on the topic you have learned.
- The night before an exam, make sure to get a good night's sleep. Multiple studies have shown that getting a good night's sleep before an exam helps to increase one's concentration during the exam. A good night's rest allows you to enter the exam full of confidence.
- During the exam, if you come across questions that you feel are hard to do, do not panic and just leave them for the end.
- Even if you don't know what to do, try and tackle the problem. You might even get the question right!
Importance of Focus
Being fully focused plays a very important role in exams. Being distracted by something unnecessary could throw you into big trouble. When you can't focus, you tend to waste a lot of time trying to solve questions. However, it is possible to boost focus:
- Try eating healthy. Also, make sure you avoid fast food and energy drinks.
- Spend less time on social media.
- Stay physically active. Exercise helps with concentration. Even a short walk helps you stay refreshed because it increases blood flow to your brain.
- Try sleeping for at least 8 hours. A good night's sleep can do wonders.
Those are my tips. Thanks for reading!