1. Plan ahead! Crack open the books and avoid cramming. When you find out when a test will be, mark it in your planner and schedule the days and times you’ll study each subject. Having a game plan and sticking with it can make a huge difference! Set short-term goals for how much you want to have memorized or studied by specific dates. Reward yourself with a coffee-shop break or a phone chat with a friend.
2. Munch! You might not think you have time to stop and eat, but you’ll regret it when the test comes! Breakfast is a must and should include fruit, whole-grain cereal and 100 percent fruit juice. No vending machine food or soft drinks allowed.
3. Alone or with others? Figure out whether you should study with people (a study group) or by yourself. If you study by yourself, there might be fewer distractions, but you can get discouraged and lonely. If you study with others, you can get your questions answered and quiz each other, but you might also get distracted and spend more time talking or eating than studying.
4. The study zone. Does your bedroom look like the inside of your brain? Complete chaos? Find a study spot that’s tidy and free from distractions. Avoid rooms where people are talking loudly, watching television or listening to music. Consider the local library, a quiet coffee shop or a school classroom.
5. NAA. (Use numbers, acronyms and the alphabet.) Lists and points are sometimes hard to memorize. Organize the points into words you’ll remember. Example: If you had to memorize the words: bear, tree, orange and avalanche, you could take the first letter of each word and rearrange them to spell the word boat. But not every list fits into a word, so you can use the alphabet and numbers. Example: Remember the words: sister, apple, food, year and age by “a2fsy.” These letters are arranged alphabetically, and the number represents how many of a’s there are.
6. Test yourself. You might not know the exact questions on the test or the test format, but you can still make and give yourself tests. Make note cards for memorizing vocabulary. Type questions on the computer and then answer them. If the actual test will be a timed one, you’ll want to time yourself in a practice test.
7. Grab 15. When a computer runs too many programs for too long, what happens? It crashes! Your brain is like a complex computer, but it, too, can feel overloaded with so many facts and figures. When this happens, it’s often hard to process. Studies show that taking breaks (even 15 minute ones) every hour or two can actually help with brain power in the long run.
8. Make up stories. Have an essay test coming up? Consider dividing key points into bullets or sections, kind of like chapters in a book or acts in a play. Link concepts together in story form. Then ask a friend or sibling to listen as you talk through the essay or write out the story on a computer.
9. Exercise. Put down those books and grab your gym shoes! Head out for a quick walk or run. Exercise produces a brain chemical that creates endorphins. These little guys trigger your memory, energy and even help brighten your mood.
10. Review notes and textbooks. Remember those times when your teacher said, “Write this down. This is important.”? Well, that’s because the information will probably be on the test. Read through all your notes. It’s probably not realistic to read through the whole textbook again, but skim through it. Pay special attention to section headings and bold or italicized terms.
11. Catch some zzzzzzs. If possible, avoid all-nighters (staying up all night) without any sleep. Studies show that, as with taking breaks, getting even a few hours of sleep is better than no sleep. The brain has time to refresh before the test. Just make sure you set an alarm so you’ll wake up in time.
12. Pray. Ask God to help you recall the information you’ve studied. Sorry, God isn’t a magical genie who’ll zap the answers into your head. Apply yourself and try not to compare yourself with others. It’s OK if you don’t get 100 percent, but God does want you to try your best.
