Do you have an exam block coming up, perhaps your Year 11 preliminary exams? We’re talking, one to two weeks of just exam after exam… Don’t stress!
Exam blocks can be really challenging trying to juggle time, effective study, and a healthy lifestyle.
Want to know how to study effectively and avoid cramming during an exam block?
We’ve got you covered with three simple steps — let’s jump into it!
Step #1: Create a Plan
Step #2: Study in Reverse
Step #3: Maintain Your Energy
Step #1: Create a Plan
Put simply, if you do not have a plan, you will end up cramming.
Start bywriting down a list of all the things you need to do for all your subjects.You could make a separate list for each subject or just one huge running list.
接下来,把你的日记和日历schedule in Exam Prep Zones.
‘Exam Prep Zones?’, you ask! This isallocated time throughout your day or week where you focus solely on exam preparation and personal study.这可能是一个小时每一天晚饭后,或a full day on the weekend.
Here’s an example of how you might schedule in your exam prep zones throughout the month:
Essentially your Exam Prep Zones area time where you pull out this to do list and check items off.This way you are gradually working through content in the lead up to the exam, and avoiding cramming!
If you do not schedule it, you will not do it!You will likely find yourself consumed by homework and assessments, in turn, putting off exam preparation because it is later on in the term.
So avoid cramming, make a plan, and schedule in your Exam Prep Zones!
Step #2: Study in Reverse
Naturally, we study for the first exam first. While this might work for some students, what often happens iswe invest so much time in the first two or three exams, and end up neglecting the later subjects.
So you will be super prepared and feel confident for the first couple exams, but thenfind yourself cramming for the second half of the exam block.我们then see is the results drop lower with each exam.
Instead of studying for your first exam first — study in reverse! That means studying for your last exam first.Then one or two weeks out from the exam block, you will be studying for your first exam and the content will be fresh in your mind.
Then when the later exams come, you’ve already got the foundations laid!So instead of cramming, all you need to do is refresh your memory and polish up with some past papers or practice questions.
Step #3: Maintain Your Energy
Basically, you don’t want to push way too hard and overwork yourself in your first couple exams. This is the recipe for burnout and decreased performance in the later exams!
So how do you maintain your best performance consistently throughout the exam block?
#1: Get enough sleep
If you are awake for 17 hours straight, research shows that your cognitive performance will become equivalent to being over the blood alcohol level. This means thatnot having enough sleep will impact your cognitive performance in a similar way to being drunk. And you would not want to go into an exam, drunk!
So getting consistent sleep is crucial!Make sure you get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep a nightand more importantly, do not sacrifice sleep for cramming.
#2: Workout or exercise
Exercise has been shown to increase your energy levels, focus, and cognitive performance.Simply exercising two times a week is the perfect way to balance out a healthy lifestyle and effective study!
Go for a walk with a friend, ride your bike, or take a dip and go for a swim! Any type of movement is great.
There you have it — 3 crucial steps to acing your exam block for your Year 11 preliminary exams.Have a plan, study in reverse, keep those energy levels up, and say goodbye to night-before cramming!
Looking for some extra help with your Year 11 preliminary exams?
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Nandini Dhiris a Content Writer at Art of Smart and is currently studying a Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Marketing) and a Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Media and Communications), as a Dalyell Scholar, at Sydney University. She enjoys covering local issues in her area and writing about current events in the media. Nandini has had one of her pieces published in an article with the Sydney Morning Herald. In her free time, Nandini loves doing calligraphy, ballet, and sewing, or is otherwise found coddling her cats.
