10 methods to study before an exam

In the education systems of most countries, the exam is that moment in which our learning becomes an all or nothing task.

Days or even weeks of attending classes and studying on our own can fail if we fail when taking the tests that are given to us in the exams. That is why mastering study methods well is very important. when it comes to getting the most out of our knowledge and capabilities.

Facing difficult exams

Spain is a country with a serious problem in its educational system; both in primary and secondary school do not teach students effective ways to study, something that should be key in the learning process. In my freshman year in college, I was just memorizing, a task that was pretty tedious for me, so I started looking for other methods to study for the exams.

As soon as I had mastered these new methodologies (since there is no single infallible one) my grades improved a lot; In most subjects I went up to more than three points (in exams with a maximum score of 10). The truth is that I doubt that I would have gotten such good grades without these study techniques; University is tough and at that time I had to understand and assimilate a lot of information. It was clear that the study methods worked for me, and

I think they can also be useful for anyone who needs to pass exams. That is why I have decided to share them.

The best study techniques and methods

The tips that I will explain will be useful for any subject: exams for oppositions, English, etc. However, these study methods are not a panacea for laziness: Effort and perseverance are the basis of success!

1. Awards

Thinking about the image that you have 2-3 hours of study ahead of you is, let's say, little... stimulating. But there is a way to make it less heavy:

Take a break every 50-60 minutes and do some activity that you like for 10 minutes: watching TV, reading, exercising, etc. It is a matter of you knowing that the effort is not going to be superhuman, quite the contrary; It is about combining the effort dedicated to study with pleasant or leisure activities, thus we unconsciously associate study with something positive and bearable.

2. Away with distractions!

Are you the classic student who is in class looking at facebook every minute or doodling in the notebook? Fear not, there are many of those. They are the same ones who study 1 hour out of every 4.

This is because it takes almost 10 minutes to reach a full state of concentration. At this point, if this concentration process is interrupted either actively or passively, you will have to restart the process.

And what can we do to avoid being distracted? Avoid social networks, hide the mobile or turn it off, stay away from the TV, etc. They are small details that although they seem insignificant, they matter. This study method can be summarized as follows: when you have to rest, rest and do not complicate your life, but when it is time to study, do not dedicate yourself to something else.

3. Music to focus

We will agree that putting on heavy metal or electronic songs to study works very well for you. few people... but despite the popular belief that when studying it is not necessary to listen to music, there are certain melodies and sounds that can help you enter a state of relaxation. You can try, for example, with musical pieces to meditate.

Other tips about music when studying:

• Avoid putting on the typical catchy song, or one that you like a lot.
• Choose a playlist of at least 50 minutes, so you won't have to search for songs after a while.
• The radio does not work. The voice of the presenters can be irritating when studying.

4. Study in advance

In my career I never studied the day before the exam, nor on the same day. Neither for the most important exams like the finals. The key is to study months in advance, a little each day. If you study an exam that you have in two months for an hour or two a day, you are guaranteed success.

The information will be structured in your mind in the long term, it will be preserved for a long time and you can make use of it when you need it. If you study in a hurry the day before, or two or three days before, you may pass, but the knowledge will not be well established and you will eventually forget it. Things will get difficult for you in the future, when teachers assume that you remember the contents of previous lessons.

5. Mental maps

A mind map is a schematic image used to represent words, ideas or concepts linked around a central idea. Mind maps are a great way to memorize information. I recommend it!

6. Do physical exercise

Although it may not seem like it, exercise can be part of the study methods. According to a study from the University of Illinois, exercising 20-30 minutes before an exam improves concentration. Many times, before an exam I have gone to the gym to de-stress, after all I had studied well in advance and I could afford the luxury (as a reward).

From my point of view it is a big mistake to think that the day of the exam or the day before you have to spend it studying until the last minute. You have to give yourself a margin to rest and train your muscles to be in the best possible physical condition before undergoing the pressure of an exam. We are humans!

7. Change study places

If you change places where you study, you will improve your concentration and you will be able to retain more data. This is because studying in the same place, actively or passively, ends up irritating us. Introducing new variables in the study breaks that routine and gives us an oxygen balloon to study.

A good option would be to alternate between your home and various public libraries.

8. Eat well and healthy

Hunger will make you run out of energy and distracted. I recommend that you eat something before studying, especially almonds (as they contain phenylalaline, which stimulates neurons) and beetroot (uridine monophosphate helps improve abilities cognitive).

9. Keep a positive spirit!

A positive mindset goes a long way when it comes to getting good grades.. Many colleagues, by giving too much importance to the results, worried in an excessive way about what they do and They experience fits of anxiety before exams, which conditions them and keeps them distracted (the prophecy that is self-fulfilling). That is why it is important to stay calm and have a positive attitude.

Also, being pessimistic about the results we are going to get gives us an excuse to stop trying. It is a phenomenon similar to what is known as learned helplessness.

10. Do mock exams

Imitating an exam using a mock up is many times more useful than reading or underlining. You rethink possible logical questions (which will possibly coincide with those of the real exam) and help regulate the prior anxiety, because the "real" exam will only be one of many.

In addition, taking mock exams is one of the most useful study methods, because it helps you discover gaps and weaknesses in your knowledge.