Study Smartly for Exam Success with These 8 Practices - Get Started Now

Study Smartly
for
Exam Success
Put into Practice Now – 8 Practices to De-Stress for Exams

 
Make a study schedule NOW!  Write it out, draw it, color it, mind map it, keep it visible). Include:

• Study breaks, sleep, stretching, deep breathing, hydration, fun!
• 1.5 - 2 hours of study per class, then break
• Switch classes for next 2-hour study session (“chunk it”).
• Use “Backward Planning” if this works for you.
• Rid of distractions to maximize study time. When you feel your thoughts getting stuck

and you enter that “zone” bring yourself back by moving.

• Pay attention to time wasters – cell phone, friends, Netflix, pod casts. This is includes being aware when you procrastinate.
• Acknowledge and eliminate thoughts of perfectionism. 

 
Decide your most ideal study spot and times

• Pick the place you feel the most productive, calm (not cozy), and focused. Keep going to this spot for the next few weeks to train your body and brain for study mode.
• Time of day/night you study best? Start noticing when you are most focused. Use this time slot for your most difficult and most boring classes.
• Do not study in your bed or other comfortable places. Stay alert.
• Cramming and last-minute studying induces panic.
• “All night-ers” are counterintuitive to proper brain functioning for recall, memory, and focus.

 
Hydrate- lessen or eliminate sugar drinks, caffeine and alcohol: Gatorade, energy drinks, teas, sodas included.

Breathe - practice daily “4-7-8” deep breathing. Use breathing apps. “Square breathing”. Only takes ten minutes to engage your diaphragm and activate the calm part of your nervous system. Helps with many body functions.

Nourish - eat nutrient and vitamin rich foods (B, C, iron and Magnesium). Adrenal glands lose these when you experience stress. Magnesium helps in the production of serotonin during the day.

Self-care – attend to how often and how much you move your body. A short walk, jumping jacks, push-ups will suffice if you can’t fit in a work-out. Engage in a fun activity – frisbee, basketball, a class. Take an extra shower a day during study week. Brush your teeth an extra time a day. Get a haircut. Use lotion. Take advantage of on-campus supplied exam stress-reducing activities (massages, pet therapy, special foods, special activities)

Sleep health- intentionally focus on sleep quantity and quality.

• Sleep helps recall, memory, focus and concentration.
• Try not to nap during the day.
• LEDs stimulate the brain. Turn them off 30 minutes prior to sleep.
• Aim for seven hours each night.
• Write your day’s accomplishments and tomorrow’s to-do goals right before bedtime. (Keep writing pad beside bed.)

​Fill your brain with these mantras:
“I am right where I need to be. With this comes tough times. I am tough enough and will be just fine.”
“I am on a journey and will embrace the mountains, the valleys and the peaks.”
“Exams are not only one part of college. Even though I feel stressed, in a few days this will be over.”
“I am thankful every day for the opportunity to go to college. In four years, I will have grown exponentially and will contribute to society in ways I never imagined.”