Summer is coming, and that means we’re entering exam time again. That time when stress comes up and uncertainty can undermine our morale.

Because the exam season can wear us out, especially if we haven’t planned our studies well and if we haven’t worked hard enough during the year and intend to do all the work of 3 months in one weekend. In this situation, the workload can become too heavy, and it can become too challenging. It is best to plan your learning well and take advantage of effective study habits .

Best study habits

To avoid falling prey to anxiety and not learning anything, the best thing to do is to make good use of the study time you have, which means following good study habits that allow you to consolidate your learning and avoid being on the last day before the exam trying to memorise the whole subject.

Fortunately, the good thing about these study habits is that they are simple; they can be acquired and developed quickly. Below you can find a list of the best ones.

1. Get organized

Unfortunately, when you find an ideal place to study, sometimes you may not have on hand what you will use during the study.

The study area should have everything you need, so you won’t waste time looking for the things you’re missing. So, the first step to success in the exams is to be well organized. Because if you have a chaotic situation from the beginning and you don’t know the assignments or the practices you have done during the course until there are three days left until the exam then you will have a hard time keeping up .

It is important that you have everything well organized and that you know what you are doing, because if not you may be looking for notes the same week as the exam. And that’s not good for you at all.

Sort your notes ; even if it seems that way, the time you spend on it will be more than compensated for by not having to waste minutes looking for books or documents.

2. Have a study area

Studying in the cafeteria may seem like an excellent idea, but if you want to retain as much information as possible and be fully focused, it’s best to find a study location where there are no distractions, where you are 100% on the ball, without interruption. The ideal environment for studying should be: tidy, quiet, well-lit, spacious and comfortable.

3. Avoid distractions

Also, avoid having distractions nearby, as they can throw you off balance. It’s important to limit your study time to studying, because, for example, computers can be very useful for finding information, but they can distract you if you have Facebook open.

On the other hand, you should also avoid studying in a group until you have started making progress on your own. This will ensure that when you meet with other people, instead of being distracted by talking, you are aware that you have unresolved doubts and that you take the time to share knowledge related to the notes.

4. Plan the study

Good planning is a basic step in making the study useful. You can use a document (or paper) to write down the topics you will study, the days you will spend on each topic, and the approximate time you will need for each section.

Of course, planning can vary and there should always be room for change, but it is important that you visualize the study process and know what you are doing at all times. Don’t forget that you should know when you are going to take the exam, as this will allow you to plan all the subjects and know what the priority is.

So, make yourself a study calendar detailing what you are going to do each day . This will allow you to monitor your progress and adapt to the time you have available.

To anticipate problems, reserve a few points in advance, each of which you will spend every time you let a certain number of hours pass without having studied. This will prevent you from missing your schedule and forgetting about it at the first sign of change.

5. Be constant and distribute learning over time

Planning is great, but you need to be consistent and spread your learning over time. This is key to avoid having to retain everything the last few days and not really learn anything or consolidate this learning, but only memorize.

Studying hard the last days before the exam may help you pass, but the information will not last long in your memory . In other words, this is a good option if you really want to learn.

6. Do several tests

Taking tests or mock exams not only prepares you to know what types of questions may appear on the exam, but can give you valuable feedback as to whether or not you have mastered the subject matter you are studying. Research published in Psychological Science in the Public Interest found this to be the most effective study technique.

7. Study without hunger

The physiological needs make our concentration decrease and therefore it is interesting to cover them in order to continue performing in the study. For example, if you need to go to the toilet, your capacity to concentrate will decrease . Without a doubt, one need that must be covered is food, since it is necessary to have high energy levels in order to study effectively. This is one of the study habits that often go unnoticed.

8. Take some supplement

There are supplements that can help you improve your study skills. For example, Royal Jelly. Royal jelly, which is the food that bees are fed with at birth and the queen bee throughout her life, has a great vitalising capacity for both body and mind. Another supplement that can help to perform better during the study is gingko biloba . However, it dispenses with energy drinks, as they are not good for your health.

9. Take breaks

Studying for hours can be exhausting, and after a while without breaks our brain can get tired, that’s why it’s ideal to take breaks as you study. It is recommended to take at least 10 minutes of rest for every 50 minutes of study. After the break, you’ll see how you’ll be able to continue learning .

10. Varies tasks

Varying the tasks can promote learning. For example, you can do 30 minutes of theoretical study and then another 20 minutes of practical tasks. Then use 10 minutes to check what you’ve memorized before and take the 10-minute break to avoid mental fatigue.

11. Change the place of study

As I said, it’s good to have a place to study, a place where you can stay focused and not be distracted; however, you can also switch places at times to encourage retention of learning. For example, if you normally study in a room in your house, you can go to the library one day a week. This will have a positive influence on your study, because it will act as a way of taking a break and not falling into the monotony , which can demotivate you.

12. Disconnect the day before the exam

Although we believe that studying the day before the exam for long hours is the best option, if you study in advance, scientific research says that it is better to turn off the day before the exam. That doesn’t mean you can’t do a review to keep everything fresh, but instead of studying all day long, it’s better to relax and not get saturated . For example, you can go to the cinema the night before.

13. Study begins in class

If you want to get the most out of your study, it is good that you go to class with the best attitude . This includes attending and taking quality notes, but also paying attention to the teacher. It is easier to retain some concepts in this way, and you can also ask questions at the time. Otherwise, you may be asking all your classmates what you don’t understand just a few days before the exam, which may even confuse you.

14. Pass the notes

A good way to retain more information is to come home and pass notes. This will help you to refresh what you have studied in class, and will help you to memorize much better what you have learned. It will also help you to organise yourself better so that you can study more efficiently.