Study Tips!

The Ultimate Exam Study Guide

In high school, exam grades make up about 25% of your overall grade so it's super important to know, not just how to study, but to study effectively. One of my biggest struggles is studying as i'm just not very good at it! But i've really been trying to work on that for my AP classes this year. Here are a couple of tips i've found to be the most helpful!

Before you start studying 

Now before we start, my most important tip is to start studying early, if you wait until the very last second to start studying there is no way that you will retain or learn any of the info you are cramming for. 

I always find it helpful to make a to-do list. Having a written list of all the goals you need to accomplish always helps me visualize what I need to know and if I have learned/studied for that topic yet. I especially enjoy checking items off the list!

Get comfortable! There is no way I can focus without being in comfortable clothes, so throw on some leggings or sweats and get to it! If you plan on studying in public (my personal favorite place is Panera) look cute and comfy, I adore Jadelynn Brooke t-shirts(use my code NHSMB for 20% off!), paired with leggings and converse make for the perfect winter studying outfit!

                                           
Taking Good Notes

It's very important to take good notes and I find it helpful to colorcode and have good titles. I also like to go back through and rewrite my "sloppy" class notes and make them into readable, colorful and useful notes. Check out my pinterest board for more notes inspiration!

Make a cheat sheet  lay out all of the major topics from your class and omit things that would otherwise take up unnecessary time studying for, this is especially helpful if your teacher doesn't give you a study guide (my biggest pet peeve with teachers) but always ask for a little help and i'm sure they'll give you some main topics to focus on, especially if it's a state exam.

                                                          

 
Studying for Math 

I have the hardest time studying for math. But I do have a few tip from my many years of math exams! Work out your problems, ask your teacher for extra worksheets or even go online and search your topics (i'm in precal right now and google is my greatest help.)

Draw pictures/diagrams,  I can't study math without seeing it happen, my brain just doesn't work that way. So i've figured out that drawing out diagrams for topics like factoring and triangles really helps me visualize the math.

Write down the steps, don't just look at the work and write it down without putting some kind of notations near it. It's always helped me to number and explain the steps as I go so that when I look back at my notes I have a way to know what's going on.

                        
Making Note Cards

Especially for my history and English classes I find notecards to be the most efficient way to study definitions. Color coding also comes in handy, for the different time periods in APUSH I use different colors and for english I categorize the topics by color as well. 

You can also use notecards for revision notes, go back and re-write previous notes on smaller notecards maybe even using post-its for side notes or a flow chart.
                                             

                               
Study Tips

• turn off your phone- my phone is constantly distracting me between instagram, snapchat and twitter i'm scrolling for "one more minute" so i try to either leave it downstairs or turn it off completely
• leave your shoes on- I know this is a little weird but studies have shown that when you're too comfortable you'll get distracted or be less motivated to study.
•  play music- I love classical music, it helps me focus and keeps my space calm even if my whole family is home and doing stuff
• test yourself- Don't just look over your notes make sure you know them! Quizlet is a great study aid and if you search for your topic there's sure to be a practice test there. 
• study buddy- I love studying with my friends, you have a built in quizzer and someone to keep you on task. It works out great when ya'll are studying for the same subject, you can compare notes and make up practice tests with each other.
• take breaks- There's no reason to study for an hour or two hours straight, study for 25-30 minutes and then take a break, eat a snack or text for a little while then get right back to it. 
• ask questions- when you're studying make sure you write down any questions you come across so you can either google them later or ask your teacher in class the next day. 
• study before bed- It's been proven that the closer to bed you study, the more likely you are to remember the information so review your notes right before bed and again when you wake up!
• get enough sleep- No one will test well without a good night's rest, so make sure you get a full night's sleep before testing.
• Eat Breakfast- I work better on a full stomach and it would be bad if you were halfway through a test and your stomach started rumbling! Eat a good meal like eggs or a smoothie so you'll stay full for the whole test!

Ultimately there's no "right way" to study so find what works for you and try it out! If you want to find some more study tips for different learners (visual, auditory, etc.) check out this link 

Good luck with your exams!

                                          photos via pinterest