Semester Exams are the beasts we have to face for the rest of our education and they seem to get harder as we advance through school. These are some tips I’ve used for myself and would like to share with you so you can have a successful exam period.

Have a designated study space- I know some people like to study in their bedroom but that is normally a place for rest and your brain knows that psychologically so sometimes you will eventually fall asleep. Find a place in your home where it is calm but not necessarily too comfy. For me that is my living room, I have a desk in my living room and I chose to study there because of the calmness and it is away from everybody.

Set a Schedule- Studying is all about the designation, so designate a time for studying and stick to that time every day instead of doing it at any given moment. Figure out what works for you. Some people study in the morning because it’s the time when their mind is very open, others study after a large meal because it gives them a push to finish tasks. Find out what works for you.

Get organized before studying- Before you start, find all your notes, worksheets, and everything you need for a successful study time. You don’t want to be in the middle of studying and having to go find papers and worksheets, which will disrupt your rhythm and flow.

Focus on one subject per study time- It is very easy to cram and try to do everything at once but it is not always the best in the long term. I would advise you to dedicate a day to study each subject over two weeks allows you to study one subject per day for a week and then repeat that same schedule the next day. This will help you to just focus on one subject and you retain more information.

Quiz yourself- A very important part of studying is asking yourself questions about what you have read. This helps to reinforce what you have ready and solidifies concepts.

Trust yourself- You know more information than you think, I often study and feel even more unprepared but know it all there. The information is there and when you open that test you will be so relieved because you actually remember concepts. You’ll do great, trust yourself because you know more than you think.