Exams: the dreaded word. But it doesn’t have to be so daunting! We have created a list of top tips & tricks to help you during this time, taken directly from previous students who have taken exams or had assessments.
Top ways to study:
There are different techniques for studying. We’ve put together some recommended ways that have worked for past students:
- Use the Feynman Technique - Pick a topic. Pretend/role-play to teach it to someone else. Identify and fill knowledge gaps. As you teach, you will discover areas where your understanding is unclear. Simplify and refine explanations.
- Teach an imaginary class - Use a whiteboard or notebook to teach the material to an imaginary class. Talk aloud to yourself. Teach the content to a friend or family member or to a pet — even if they don’t understand the topic, you will!
- 9-5 structure - studying from 9am - 5pm can ensure consistency. Also, having some time pressure and a cut-off point for revision can mean that you revise more efficiently because, once it hits 5pm, you are ready for your break in the evening.
Top study tools:
Sometimes a pen and paper won’t cut it and you need a new way to take notes or revise information. We’ve compiled a list of study tools that have helped other students along the way:
- Evernote - Evernote is a versatile note-taking app that allows students to create and organise their study notes efficiently. Its seamless integration across devices makes it a go-to app for students.
- Todoist - Staying organised is essential during exam time, and Todoist helps students achieve just that. This app allows users to create to-do lists, set reminders, and prioritise tasks. Students can tackle their workload efficiently by breaking down larger study goals into manageable tasks.
- Flow - a Pomodoro based focus timer, to help increase productivity and is free to use. With this tool you can block other apps so,if like most of us, you find yourself in a TikTok hole then this app is for you.
- Forest - helps you stay focused on what is important by pulling on your heartstrings. Your focus is measured by keeping a plant alive and letting it flourish into a tree or even a forest. Your tree will progressively grow whilst you stay focused, however, if you leave the app halfway into your focus time, the tree will die. A bonus to the app is that Forest works with partners to plant real trees and has so far planted over 1.8 million.
- Quizlet - an app that allows you to create flashcards and practice tests in your chosen subject. Over 60 million students around the world are already using the app!
- AnikaApp - a cross-platform flashcard app. You can make flashcards with just text or shake it up using sound & images, whatever suits your way of studying.
Top study tips:
- Remember your laptop charger - if you’re heading out to study for a long session, don’t forget to take a charger with you!
- Charge headphones - if you’re a music worker, before heading out to study, ensure your headphones have a full charge to avoid that deafening silence.
- Get in early - study spaces fill out quickly, so make sure you get there early to get the best spot!
- Have a supply of food and drink - in case there are no cafes to buy snacks or anywhere to fill up water (library dependent).
- Screen break - stretch those legs and take screen breaks regularly!
- Support & Social networks - we all know it can be a tough time, so try not to isolate yourself. Have regular breaks, meet up with friends, and check-in with family.
Top exam tips:
- Night before prep - pack any materials the night before, it’ll keep you feel more relaxed when you wake up the next morning.
- Full water bottle - exams can be long, and the rooms can be warm. Make sure you fill up a full water bottle before heading in!
- Exam space/area - whether your exams are in-person or online, you might want to familiarise yourself with the space. Ensure you leave enough time to get to your exam or familiarise yourself with the online exam process. It’s better to be overprepared on this one to save a last-minute rush and stress.
- Fuel up - exams can be long and span over meals times, so make sure you’ve eaten enough beforehand to avoid the mid exam hunger.
Forms of support:
- Guide to Getting Through Exams - our Advice team has compiled a useful guide providing information from preparing for exams, sitting your exams, and what to do if something unexpected happens before or during an exam, to receiving your results and your options if you underperformed or failed. If you need extra support during this stressful time, you can contact our advisors to request an appointment.
- Staying calm during the exam period - the University Counselling Service is delivering two workshops this term to help you explore and share strategies for exam preparation, including topics such as planning, revision and memory, as well as simple relaxation exercises to help you manage exam-day stress. The workshops are on 14th and 19th May from 3pm - 4:30pm online. Follow the link above for more information and how to sign up.
If you think of any tips we are missing, feel free to send them to us at comms@cambridgesu.co.uk.