Acing exams? Pfft… E-A-S-Y!
I am no genius, nor do I have the courage to cheat. Yes, that’s right, this article won’t include instant success stories with creative ways to ace exams without a little effort.
If you’re here to find new undetectable ways of sneaking a cheat sheet in an exam, I suggest you just move on, but if you are here to actually discover the most realistic ways to ace exams, read on.
1. Take Notes
Stray away from your laptop or your phone. Jotting down notes will work better for you. Using a pen to jot down notes during lectures will not only improve your handwriting, but it will also allow you to remember information much better. This works, but why?
Pressing keys on your keyboard takes less effort, while writing takes more. It’s the experience that you’re involving your mind in that connects spools of information to your memory. Slow strokes of your pen while you try to remember each word the professor says is like printing the data into your mind.
This isn’t the only advantage of taking notes. Taking notes will also allow you to review whatever is discussed during the class in the future. Believe it or not, but you are more likely to study your notes when written on a notebook than when on your phone. Isolating your lessons on one single notebook is very different from storing them in your phone where you access your social media and play games. Stay away from distractions.
If you are a student in a top international British school Singapore, you can rest assured that your teachers will be helping you with all the notes and study materials you will be needing. The best schools are proactive in terms of providing their students with whatever is being taught in the form of physical notes, audio files, as well as recorded video teaching sessions.
2. Group Studies
Studying with friends may not be a good idea at first, but if a review session is taken seriously, you and your friends could actually be reaping some benefits.
You’re not right all the time and so are your friends. However, if you have other people to share your ideas with, you’ll have the opportunity to listen to productive criticisms, learn and improve.
Studying with a group can also motivate you to actually do some work. Spend tireless nights with friends and you won’t need caffeine to stay up! Trust me.
3. Study One Lesson In Advance
Every after one lesson is discussed in class, make some time at home to study the next lesson to be discussed during the next meeting.
If this sounds too much, let me tell you: It will actually help you easily cope with difficult subjects.
Most students have a hard time with lessons because it’s their “first time” digesting the information into their brains, and as expected, new information at times can be hard to understand.
Now, what if you study a lesson in advance? Reading or skimming through the next lessons is enough. No need to memorize or study thoroughly, but it’s better if you do. Then, your lessons will magically be easier because it’s not the first time you’ll be encountering them.
Get book recommendations from trusted onlines sites, like Study Prep Lounge. They are helpful when it comes to advance reading. Just make sure you are on a reliable site.
4. Rest and Play
Don’t push yourself to do what’s not humanly possible.
Don’t force yourself to memorize a 300-page book in just a day because in reality, you can’t. Unless of course you’re superhuman.
Rest and let your brain recover from the hard work it has accomplished. Studying is a mentally exhausting task. You will need sleep and a lot of recovery time. Walk away from your responsibilities for an hour or two each day, you need a break.
5. Eat Healthy
Food will be your fuel as a student. Consume greens and drink lots of water. Don’t stop eating brain foods such as nuts and blueberries. Do whatever you can to improve your memory to its highest potential, and eating the healthiest food you can find is on top of the list of what you can do to accomplish such a feat.
There is no shortcut…
If you really want to learn, you should never depend on shortcuts. Remember, learning is a process and not just a goal you reach for one single effort. It takes a lot of time and dedication to master a skill or learn about a subject. This means that your habits, values and motivation are your main tools.