Pre-Exam periods are often among the most stressful periods in the life of a student. While some claim to perform better under stress, it has been scientifically proven that stress can shrink part of the human brain. Well-prepared and well-rested students tend to feel less heat from the exams. The key is simple: Start revision early, two to three months before the exam.
Here are tips on planning a healthy and effective study timetable:
Have an Agenda
Know what you want to accomplish for each study period. List specific tasks and work towards completing them.
Be Realistic
Plan your time table within your limits. It is discouraging to fail to complete your desired tasks, while ineffective to overload your brain with information.
Plan Your Time Wisely
Allocate time to different activities for each study period. Typically, optimum efficiency is achieved by studying in blocks of one hour. Walter Pauk, author of best selling study guide “How to Study in College”, recommends 50 minutes of study followed by a 10-minute break.
Do not allocate more time than required. Parkinson ’s Law states that “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” If you allocate two hours to complete three problem sums that would usually take only an hour to complete, chances are, you will use up those two hours, allowing yourself to lose focus midway just because you know you have time to spare.
Study in a Conducive Environment
Choose a place where you can focus best. Keep in mind accessibility of amenities and required items such as the toilet, food, textbooks and stationery. Stay away from distractions such as your Play Station. Avoid studying with a group of people unless all the members are geared towards success at the exams. Otherwise, you may find yourselves engaging in pointless chit-chat.
In addition, studying during the day apparently reaps more results than studying at night. Research shows that 60 minutes of studying in the day is equivalent to 90 minutes of study at night. For health reasons, it is also advisable to go to bed early. Bedtime is when your body heals and recharges.
Most importantly, appreciate and enjoy the experience of learning and rehashing knowledge.
Good luck with your exams!
Written in August 2011 for a community newsletter.
