Exams are approaching, and students are stressing. Struggling to study in an effective way is a common struggle for students of all ages. This time of the year leaves many students wondering what they can do to better prepare for that dreaded test. So what are the best study tips?

“My problem is I never think I need to study and then realize while taking the test how much better off I would have been if I did study. Even though I think I have been making more of an effort to study for the upcoming exams, it’s hard to know where to start. And since everyone learns differently it’s hard to know what’s gonna work best for me personally. ” Ally Michael, junior, says.

Revising unfinished notes from class, or even rewriting your notes in a more organized way will reinforce the concepts learned in class. This system also makes it easier for students to quickly remember concepts just by glancing at a well organized notes page.

“I hate textbook work, but I also know that, especially in math, everything I’ve learned is covered in the textbook.” Michael says.

Utilizing the problems from your textbook or finding a practice quiz online can help you make sure you can put concepts into play, rather than just memorizing.

“I think that this is basically what a study guide is for, and I think most people can agree that although study guides can be annoying, they do help. If a teacher didn’t give me a study guide or I still didn’t feel confident after finishing the study guide, I think this would be great practice.” Junior, Ally Michael, says.

Studying the same concepts in different places is a technique proven to help information stick in your mind better. Try studying in coffee shops, outdoors, or even in a different room of your house.

“This is one thing I already do, it makes me more focused on studying and makes the whole experience more enjoyable.” Ally Michael says.

Set a specific time aside everyday, twice a week, or whatever you feel would be beneficial, to sit down without distractions and just study. This keeps you focused on your work and studying does not feel like a waste of time when you already have time set aside to study.

“I actually heard a podcast talking about how you can make, ‘appointments,’ with yourself to get you more motivated to do something. You wouldn’t miss an appointment and you would be prepared for it, so if you treat studying like an appointment I think this could be a good strategy. Especially if it’s hard to find motivation to study.” Ally says.

If you are struggling to understand a concept, use a visual. This could be anything, a diagram, infographic, or flowchart. For many people visuals have been proven to improve memorization and in turn improve test scores.
“This idea isn’t new, I think everyone is kinda aware that pictures can help you understand something. It’s just making an effort to find a visual, but that should be easy enough just to google.” Ally Michael says.

Next time you struggle to effectively study, refer to this list and try different strategies to see what works best for you. Good luck on exams FHS!