Lectures, seminars, part-time jobs, and leisure activities – the semester is packed. There is hardly any time to repeat the learning material regularly and to follow up on all seminars. With the excuse “Oh, there is still enough time” you put off the unpleasant learning curve. The same game every semester: Just a few weeks before the exams, the realization comes that there is hardly any time left. In a learning marathon, the memory is pressurized and filled with information. Because, contrary to all learning tips, most students learn at the last minute. This can work but comes with a lot of stress. You can do something about that now. Tips on how to prepare for the exam be able to do it more stress-free and sit back and relax while your fellow students spin the bike in the days before the exams…
Exam preparation: laying the groundwork
If you only sit at your desk in front of a mountain of learning materials in the days before the exams and see no light at the end of the tunnel, you regret not having started earlier. But what is keeping you from getting started on time? In addition to the numerous activities and obligations, it is mainly the lack of motivation. Learning, and there is no other way of saying it, is hard work. Working through presentation slides and scripts, learning formulas and technical terms by heart, solving old exams – none of this has much to do with fun. And because this is an open secret, it is difficult to come up with it, especially since the seductions that advise us against it are numerous. What can help you?
Visualize your goals.
Motivation describes the drive to achieve a goal. There is always a motive behind this, i.e. an incentive that prompts you to move towards a goal. The word motivation comes from moving – Latin: movere – by the way. It will be easier for you to do this if you understand what passing the exam means for you. What are you doing this for? What do you want to achieve?
Create the right learning environment.
It has been proven that our work environment influences the way we work. This was proven by the scientist Kathleen Vohs from the University of Minnesota. She conducted various tests on students in neat and untidy offices. She found the following: Order promotes positive qualities such as generosity, altruism, and a healthy lifestyle. Also, they tend to provide a traditional perspective. Disarraypromote creativity and help to leave familiar paths and to leave rules behind. It also encourages people to free themselves from conventions and develop new impulses. Vohs showed that both order and disorder have their uses. It is also important that you feel comfortable in the place you have chosen to study.
Create a sense of achievement.
It makes you feel good when you can understand what you’ve achieved. Be aware of your progress by checking off what you have already learned. This gives you the feeling of getting closer to your goal step by step. Once the end is in sight, you are more motivated to persevere.
Reward yourself.
The exam phase is full of privation. All of your energy and time will now go into learning. As a rule, friends and hobbies are neglected during this time. But if you don’t set foot outside the door for weeks and do nothing else but learn, you come to the point where you have to force yourself to continue. With small rewards, you provide a renewed motivation boost. After a hard day of learning, treat yourself to something that you enjoy, for example, an evening with friends, an episode of your Favourite series, or an hour of exercise. You will notice that this gives you new strength.
Push each other.
An internal competition with your fellow students can also provide new momentum. Of course, the competition shouldn’t turn into a rivalry, but it can be enormously motivating to see how far your fellow student has progressed.
This is how you prepare effectively for exams and exams
There is still enough time. If you are the kind of student who puts their hands over their heads shortly before the exam dates, feels overwhelmed by the scope of the course content, and feels test anxiety rising every time, now is the chance to change that: Do it No more excuses and just start!
Start yes, but how? Here are a few tips for long-term exam preparation:
Narrow down the subject matter.
Take the time to get an overview of the subject matter. What was discussed? Collect all relevant content, i.e. notes, scripts, exercises, and presentation slides from the lectures. Now narrow the fabric. What is relevant for the exam?
Create a learning plan.
For creating a learning plan that actually works, you can also consult any nearby tuition. When I was a student, I went to the best Economics Tuition Singapore to get a learning plan for my JC economics exams. If you look at the mountain of learning materials, it will kill you at first. Many then give up in frustration. The trick, however, is to divide the mountain into small, digestible portions. Once you have divided the learning material, use it to create a learning plan. Determine when you do what. Quite a few people’s stomachs turn at the thought of a study plan. The reason for this is the fear of running out of time for other things. But the opposite is the case. Anyone who makes a learning plan also creates space for fun things. Besides, this creates a good feeling of having everything under control.
Summarize content.
Writing your summaries will encourage you to actively deal with the subject matter. It requires you to get to the heart of the content, structure, and relate information. These summaries do not have to be made in text form. For example, you can supplement these with mind maps, sketch notes, or flow charts. To be able to memorize content better, it is helpful to combine numerous sensory impressions. For example, speak summaries. You can then use the audio files for repetition.
