Prepping for exams

Exam periods may be some of the toughest times for university students. Between balancing work and study, as well as extracurricular activities, students have increased workload to prepare for their exams. In this time, it is critical that you make the best of your time so you can be the most prepared that you are for your exams. In saying this, EBR has gathered some tips so you can make the most of your time and increase efficiency in your studies.

1. Work out which studying methods work best for you: From personal experience, each person has their own unique way of studying. Some people process information better by hearing it, some people prefer diagrams and other people are more hands-on. If you are an audio learner, you can read your own notes aloud and record yourself, and play it back as you study, or you could rewatch all your lectures before the exam to retain information. If you are a visual learner, drawing mind maps for all your content can help you visualise information and how they connect to each other. Lastly, if you are a hands-on learner, you could read over the syllabus, make up your own questions and work them out. Otherwise, you should complete practice or past papers, if they are given to you. Find out what works for you – it could be a mixture of all three, however, if possible, avoid rote learning, as it has a short term retention and you don’t really learn things.

2. Attend various workshops: Prior to exam periods, universities and student societies will hold revision workshops, or Q&A sessions where professors, tutors or students will answer your questions. In these workshops, you are able to clarify any content that you still do not understand, as well as gain tips and tricks on how to do well in the exam. You will receive more insight into how the exam is structured, past experiences of those taking the exams, and things to watch out for. As well as this, the workshops are usually free so make sure you give them a try!

3. Prioritise: Always prioritise the subjects that require more effort and time, or have a tighter deadline. It is important to balance out the time between each subject you’re are taking, however this all depends on how difficult each subject is and when they are due.

4. Form a study group: studying with a few people is more effective because you can cross-check your knowledge, as well as test each other. Discussing various aspects of course content can help you retain information more easily. Additionally, studying with people gives you more social interaction and can reduce the stress associated with exams.