There is no right way to study or start studying; studying begins with the right mindset, schedule and attitude.

There is no universal approach on how to study effectively, for some students, it comes easily, while others may have to struggle. Hence, studying methods should be personalized as per a student’s requirement, and it is extremely important to understand what works for one student may not work for others. 

But here’s something that every student can do, staying organized, and timely prepared to boost their performance.

Exams: how important are they?

Well, they may seem unimportant but aren’t, they are crucial for confidence, self-analysis, growth and knowledge. As important as they are, exams shouldn’t be a cause for stress and anxiety. Exams are envisioned to develop a sense of accountability among learners, their memory and revision skills.

Exams are inevitable but how one makes use of the time before an examination is what leads to either peace of mind or stressed-out brain cells.

What’s before examination: except studies?

Before exams, some students often face anxiety while others are confident in themselves. It’s not that the latter lot are brighter than the former; time utilization is the key. As rightly said by Benjamin Franklin, “For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned”. In this blog, we will be discussing how being organized helps an individual to excel in exams, and what should be the strategies for effective organization.

Tips for good organization and how they help!

• Study space must be organized: Your study space has a deep impact on your mind and hence it must be clean and tidy. Things should be well arranged and try to keep content related to one subject at a time so that you can focus on the task at hand.
• Now that the study space is clean, it’s less chaotic and one can find things very easily.
• Fewer distractions, More concentration: Smartphones/laptops or any other screens must be avoided unless very urgent because such things consume a lot of time and sometimes lead to headaches. Buzzing phones, incoming notifications etc., disrupts focus and kills a lot of time.
• Don’t overburden yourself: You must study in intervals and take short breaks as and when needed. The ratio of study: break should be decided by you, not anyone else, as you know the potential of your body and brain, which of course, varies from person to person. However, the best ratio can be 50:10 or 45:15.
• Optimistic attitude: Most of the students have a habit of being pessimistic, thoughts such as ‘I won’t score well’, ‘I won’t pass this exam’ etc., only make things difficult. Instead, following a positive mindset helps in better studies and in getting a better score.

• Importance of revision: Concepts should be thoroughly revised before appearing for the exam. Rote memorization should be avoided because it will lead you nowhere. Proper notes should be maintained, key points should be marked and written so that you can effectively recall all this information at the time of examination.
• Solve previous year question papers: Past year questions are of great importance because almost in every exam few questions are directly taken from the previous year papers. It also helps to understand the pattern of the paper and what topics you need to work upon.
• Consistent group study: Your classmates may be able to explain concepts you find difficult and you can reciprocate the same favour with their weak subjects. Exchange of feedback can properly take place at group study meetings. Also, it helps students to reminisce about the concepts at the time of the exam.

• A healthy lifestyle should be maintained:

Many students have this tendency of studying day and night before exams. They don’t care about their health, sleep, biological cycle etc. which is not at all a right approach. Lack of proper sleep can be harmful to the body as well as the brain and its consequences can be seen in exams.

Studies have shown that great academic success depends on great health. Keeping this particular statement in mind, next time when you sit for study remember to maintain a decent-healthy lifestyle.

• Exam day should be well planned before: You must reach the exam hall before the allotted time. A person who reaches late will write all the answers in hurry and there are chances that these answers may get wrong. So, punctuality must be adopted.
• A proper timetable should be made, alarms must be set for waking up, eating a healthy meal, everything you adopt and indulge in affects your state of mind.

Key Takeaways 

Next time you sit to study, try to be optimistic and use statements like “I have prepared well and I will score well”. Remember, while time management is crucial, you must not study only to ace exams but to learn new things as well.

Also published on Medium.