6 Study Tips to Ace Final Exams

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Student studies in the library

Brace yourselves: exams are coming. Whether this is your first week of exams in college or your last week of exams ever, keep this in mind: you’re not new to being a student, and you’re not new to taking tests. So, don’t panic—an exam is just another test.

But if you’re having some pre-exam week anxieties, here are some study tips to help you survive the last academic rush before Christmas break.

1. Start now

Oh, you think you’ll be able to cram all the info you need the night before the exam? Think again. You’ll stress yourself out more than necessary if you wait until the last possible hours before the exam to study all of the material. If you really want to retain information, start reviewing your notes in small increments every day leading up to the exam itself. You’ll be less likely to blank during the test if you have the material stored in your long-term memory.

2. Don’t reread the textbook

Rereading all of your homework from the semester will waste your valuable (and limited) study time. The ideal strategy is to highlight key terms in your textbook and notes throughout the semester so you’ll be able to efficiently skim and review when it comes time for the test.

If you don’t write in your textbooks, fear not; most textbooks set important terms in bold type or callout boxes so they’re easy to find. But whatever you do, don’t try to read the whole History of Civ text in one night.

3. Study early instead of late

You know your brain better than I do, of course, but most brains don’t retain information well if they’re exhausted. Try studying in the morning, right after you wake up. While studying late into the night is the norm, see if you can trade out your late nights for early mornings. Go to bed as soon as your last obligation of the day is over, then set your alarm a few hours earlier.

Even if you’re not a morning person, studying with a brain fresh from sleep will benefit you more than studying with a brain that’s fighting to stay awake after a long day.

4. Nap

Tip 4 is related to study tip 3. If your eyes start shutting involuntarily while you’re studying, let yourself sleep for 10–15 minutes. Set an alarm and close your eyes for a short doze. Taking even mini naps can give your mind a second wind. Again, you’ll have a hard time retaining information if you’re fighting sleep.

Worried that if you fall asleep, you won’t be able to wake up again? Doze in a seated position instead of lying down. You’ll be less likely to stay asleep for long.

See Also: How to Nap: 6 Tips for Catching Some Extra Zs

5. Don’t skip meals

If you’re the kind of person who forgets to eat when they’re busy or stressed, set reminders for yourself to eat a meal, or at least a snack. Studying on an empty stomach may sound heroic, but running on empty isn’t doing your body or your brain any favors. Stay fed and stay hydrated; if nothing else, you’ll feel better while you take the test.

6. Pray about it

Praying won’t magically insert all of the answers to your exam questions into your head, but having your heart in the right place is still an important part of the studying process. For the Christian student, studying for exams, just like any other pursuit, must be done for the glory of God. Committing study sessions to God isn’t a mindless (or desperate) ritual, but rather a heart-acknowledgement that you can’t succeed on your own. Worried about your exams? Pray about it, and trust that God will work out your grades to His glory.

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Emma Galloway Stephens

Emma Galloway Stephens is a creative writing faculty member in BJU’s Division of English Language and Literature.