Studying effectively is a method put together to achieve optimal success while studying. These methods include avoiding any form of distraction, creating a study plan, setting out a quiet place to study, and lots more.
Furthermore, in a situation where you have just a short time to study for exams, how do you intend to study effectively in such a short time frame? Well, learning how to study effectively for exams in a short time is achievable. Firstly, don’t panic, get your timetable and know the course to start with; get acquainted with the course; and seek help where necessary. Lastly, test yourself.
In this article, we’ll delve into how to study effectively for exams in a short time and strategies for proper time management while studying.
10 Ways To Study Effectively For Exams In A Short Time
As a student preparing for exams, studying effectively is one skill you must possess. It takes self-discipline and consistency to study effectively. Sometimes, you might want to blame yourself for studying in the dying minutes, which can make you lose focus and start thinking of other alternatives to pass your exams.
Thankfully, we’ve made a comprehensive tip on how to study effectively for exams in a short time, which includes:
1. Kill Your Fear
Being frightened about the closeness of your exams and the workload to cover is normal to experience but that should not cloud you. The first step in learning how to study effectively for exams in a short time is to kill your fears of failure because you feel you haven’t prepared for the exams and to you, it might look like there’s no way you can cover all the topics.
Never allow your fears to limit how far you can study. Being positive and optimistic is what you need right now. Tell yourself over and over again that you can study all the topics and come out with an excellent grade.
Engage in daily affirmation, surround yourself with positive people—people who will help you through—and study with you. Starve your fears and feed on positivity.
2. Go Through Your Examination TimeTable
After starving your fears and feeding on positivity, you need to pick up your schedule to see the subjects or courses that you will write first to commence reading. This will help you set realistic goals for effective studying.
Furthermore, it’s advisable that you write out your exam timetable, create a study plan and allocate time to each subject or topic, bring out all your notebooks, handouts, or textbooks, and commence your studying from the exam you have first.
3. Find A Conducive Environment And Time For Studying
After going through your exam schedule and creating a study plan, you must look for a very conducive environment to enable effective studying.
An environment void of distractions, and is quite enough. It can be your school library, an external library, your house, a church or mosque, an empty classroom, a bookstore, a coffee shop, and lots more.
Additionally, you must know your best time for studying. Everyone has a time that suits them for studying. Some people prefer studying very early in the morning, from 2 am to 7 a.m.; some prefer studying in the afternoon, from 12 pm to 3 p.m.; while others prefer studying from 9 pm to midnight. Choose when it’s convenient for you to read.
4. Start Studying
Don’t delay any further after finding a conducive environment and time to study. Start studying, scan through your course content and start with the topic you know best or vice-versa.
Ask some of your friends for guidance. Browse through the net for more clarity on any topics that might be a bit difficult to understand, watch YouTube videos on such topics this way it gets to stick more to your brain.
5. Join A Discussion Group
You might not know it all and get all right. The simple solution is to join a discussion group or create one. You can create a discussion group by identifying some intelligent dude in your class. Discuss with them the purpose and need of creating the group and with their consent, you can create a WhatsApp group chat and add them to the group where time and location can be communicated to them.
You can also join an existing discussion group; the purpose of the discussion group is to solely discuss the topics of the exams that you will be writing next. Any other discussion that is not about your exams and topics should be avoided during the group discussion.
6. Focus On Understanding
While studying, your main aim should be to understand what you are reading. Never cram, because cramming can sometimes frustrate you when you get to the exam hall and forget a word from the sentences you crammed.
Try to understand what you are reading in case the question comes in any form, you’ll be able to write down something, and you will be able to write an answer in your own words. To understand more you can watch YouTube videos, read articles on those topics online, and ask questions.
7. Get Past Questions
One simple way on how to study effectively for exams in a short time is to read and study past questions. It’s obvious that many educational bodies do not set fresh questions, instead they copy their questions from previous exams.
Look for past questions, search the net, and ask your friends, or anyone from previous years of their questions. Ensure you solve a greater percentage of past questions before entering your examination hall.
8. Test Yourself
One way to know that you have effectively studied is to test yourself, and you can do this by organizing a pre-exam for yourself, identifying some likely questions and ensuring you answer them correctly, and scoring yourself to know where you are still having lapses.
This will help you to put more effort into areas that you failed. You can also test yourself by teaching others, this will enhance your understanding. Also, you can tell someone to ask you questions based on what you have read.
9. Eat Healthy Food
I know that you are trying so hard to cover all your course content, but most importantly, your body and brain require good and healthy food to function well.
Your brain needs enough glucose to be able to store all the information it receives so also your body. Do not diet on junk during this period, because your body will not get the necessary nutrients it needs by eating junk.
Additionally, learn to inculcate vegetables in your meals while eating, also eat fruits, and ensure to drink enough water. Engage in bodily exercise.
10. Sleep Well
An adage says you cannot cheat nature. Your body needs enough sleep to function well, you should learn to never overwork your brain.
Learn to rest and sleep for a minimum of 4 hours daily. Do not allow the pressure of studying in a short time to deprive you of quality sleep and rest.
Strategies For Proper Time Management While Studying
There are several strategies for proper time management to ensure an effective study. They include;
1. Identify Time Wasters
Time wasters can be in human form, your phone, social media, games, and lots more. After identifying time wasters, you must eradicate them.
If it is possible to read without your phone please do. Your phone can be your greatest distraction. Avoid friends that talk too much, they will start talking to distract you from studying and each time is counting.
2. Have A To-Do List
A to-do list will serve as a guide and will also help you make wise use of every minute. Get a list and write down all you want to achieve each day.
Ensure you write down realistic goals and don’t forget to allocate time to each activity. Additionally, you can set an alarm to serve as a reminder of each of your activities.
3. Use Your Break Time Wisely
Your break time should either be a time for resting or a time for eating. Knowing that you only have a short time to study, you should restrict some irrelevant activities like chatting with friends or visiting people.
4. Have A Personalised Schedule
A personalized schedule contains all your activities planned out, it could be daily, weekly, monthly, or even yearly.
5. Prioritise Your Tasks
Write out and do your task according to your scale of preference and importance. Also, ensure that all your tasks are completed at the closure of the day.
By making use of these time management strategies, you can study effectively and also balance your academic life with other aspects of your life.
Final Words
This article will serve as a guide on how to study effectively for exams in a short time. To study effectively in a short time, you must kill your fears, go through your exam timetable, find a conducive environment and time to study, start studying, join discussion groups, focus on understanding, get past questions, test yourself, eat healthy food, and sleep well.
Ensure you read through again and again, putting everything you’ve read into practice, and expect good grades in your results.
