Do you have any study tips? Specifically for when you have an exam in a few days (since I'm an idiot for leaving studying this late lol)
hi anon! i’d love to share some tips
disclaimer: what works for one person may not work for everyone. effective study methods vary depending on the subject, the format of the exam, personal preference, etc. the best type of studying is always the one that works for you (studying ‘ineffectively’ is always better than not studying at all!)
that said! my tips
1. sleep sufficiently. this is soso important for memory. do not pull an all-nighter before the exam. do not.
2. know what you know and what you don’t know. familiarize yourself with the exam outline, reread your lecture notes. do a quick review on material you’re confident about, focus the brunt of your studying on what you don’t know perfectly
3. make to-do lists to motivate yourself. make a list of every concept you need to study, and check them off as you do so so you can see tangible progress
4. here’s the method i tend follow for the week or so before an exam:
- reread all notes taken. always always clarify anything you don’t understand. look for help in your textbooks, ask your classmates, or your prof
- identify areas you don’t remember perfectly and rewrite your notes on those. do NOT rewrite word-for-word. synthesize important points. do this a few times until you know the material
- study a topic for ~30 minutes, then study another for the same amount of time. then, check if you still remember what you studied 30mins ago. the next day, check again. make sure you’re actually recalling what you’ve studied
- use a combination of collaborative and individual study. i aim for 90% individual study and 10% collaborative study before an exam. when with others, quiz one another, and try verbally recalling material
- study the most material about a week before the exam. then restudy parts for the next few days. 3 days before the exam, revise everything. 2 days before the exam, study as much as you can of what you’re not completely confident on. the day before, review everything you know well to build confidence. don’t leave everything to the night before!
5. romanticize the heck out of it! i like to get sushi and study in the library. a change of environment and novelty can boost memory
good luck anon!! if you’ve been focused throughout the semester, i’m sure you’ll do well












