As a student, you perhaps know by now that one of the most difficult hurdles you have to face is passing your exams. You will have to exert all the effort and time just to ace it. This is important because exams are there for a purpose. They aren’t conducted by your teachers to simply give you a hard time, but they are in place in order for them to evaluate how much you have learned over the course of your lessons. An exam is an activity that aims to help enhance your skills, your personality, and your critical thinking abilities.

That said, if you are anxious about passing an exam, here are some tips to help you successfully prepare for it:

1. Review Your Old Exams

This section applies to those who might be studying for major exams. When your professor gives out quizzes, it is best for you to keep copies of these quizzes. When you study for major exams, use this as a guiding point when reviewing. It’s possible that some questions from your previous quizzes will resurface during your major exam. So, if you have any mistakes on these exams, review them again and answer them correctly.

2. Give Yourself Time To Study

If you have gotten used to procrastinating, then perhaps this is an attitude you should stop. While it may work for some, in reality, the best strategy is to give yourself ample time to study. Create a schedule that is easiest for you to follow and maintain, and stick to it. Plan out the subjects and the topics that you are going to cover in a particular period, so that you can gauge how much or how little you need to do. Never leave anything at the last minute.

When you do this, you are also giving yourself ample time to take breaks. If you study at the last minute, you might only feel intensely pressured to cover everything during a limited time frame that you might have to give up sleep, meals, and even relaxing. Doing this can also be bad for your nerves and your memory.

3. Take Away Anything That Distracts You

As you start studying, it comes in highly recommended to take away anything that might be a distraction. For every individual, these distractions are different. For some, it might be television and movies, while for others, it is their mobile phones, social media networking sites, and other gadgets. Make it a point to turn these off and put your phone on silent mode as you study. When you do this, you are allowing yourself to focus more on your readings, and to analyze and comprehend what you are reading. Also, it makes you waste less time. Imagine all the time that you spend on social media, which you could’ve spent studying.

4. Organize Your Study Area

You cannot focus if you aren’t studying in a conducive space, or else you might fall asleep or lose focus. For your mind to concentrate and have more focus, it is best that your study space is pleasant to your eyes and your preferences. With technology, the great thing is that you can study anytime, anywhere. You no longer have to be confined to a traditional classroom setting or to the library.

Whether you are studying in your room, an office, a coffee shop, or a study center, keep it clean. Before you open up your books, organize your study space first, and create a system for your books and other study materials. Here are some tips for you to keep in mind when trying to organize your study area:

1. Ensure that your room or study area is well-lit
2. Keep your chair comfortable enough that you can sit on it for hours at a time
3. Keep your desk free from any distractions
4. Make sure there is enough space for you to spread out books and notebooks
5. Have your study materials, such as pens and highlighters, within reach

5. Take Regular Breaks

You are only human, and it isn’t possible for you to study five hours straight without taking breaks. This is also precisely why it is imperative for you to have a study schedule. Taking regular breaks is great, as it gives your mind and body time to relax and to refresh. This isn’t only applicable to when you’re reviewing for your exams, but also when you’re doing projects or writing assignments. Your brain can only do so much, and you wouldn’t want to overload it with information that you will end up forgetting later on simply because you did not rest. Even machines need to take periodic breaks for them to function well. The same is true for your body.

After every hour, for instance, take fifteen minutes to have a breather. Have a meal, or give yourself a break of scenery. Have a run around your area, or take a walk around the park. When you go back home from this, you are going to feel more productive in your endeavor to study.