How To Improve Your Performance In Exams (As Well As Your Work Life)
Last Wednesday, I got the results from a series of exams I did back in June. Despite being out of school for three months due to medical reasons, I managed to get four As and five Bs. A lots of people have been asking me how to do well in exams, so I wrote this post to help any other prospective students looking for advice or inspiration.
Even if you don’t have exams (in which case, lucky you), I’m sure you find one or two examples below that you can apply to your work life and make yourself more productive.
1. Know What You Want
In my experience, things in life are much easier if you start with the end in mind. “Why am I studying?” is a question you should ask yourself; the answer will invariably encourage you.
For me, I was studying because I’d be handing the results of these exams to prospective US colleges. To encourage myself, I printed off some pictures of the college I planned to apply to – New York University- and tacked them to the wall above my desk. I also researched the classes I’d be taking (this info is available on most good college websites) and immersed myself in it.
Know what you want and plan accordingly — how else will you know if you’re on the right track? Instill a sense of purpose in yourself.
2. Know What Works For You
Mind-maps, Cornells, charts, flashcards, there are lots of little tricks that work for people studying. The important thing is to know what works and what doesn’t.
I had a teacher who insisted we use mind-maps. Not being remotely artistic, my drawings always sucked and, by extension, I wasn’t studying well. Instead, I found that if I wrote out notes, they stuck in my head much better.
What works for one person may not be effective for someone else, so you need to “shop around” and see what works for you.
3. Don’t Fall Into Traps
As you get tired and your willingness to study starts to wane, recognize that and compensate accordingly. Vary the subjects you’re studying and the techniques you’re using.
Above all, bear in mind that any amount of study, no matter where or for how long, is worth it. I’ve studied History in a hospital room and Spanish vocab in a grocery store queue. Any amount is always better than none.
4. Have A Release
A good study:break ratio, I find, is 50 minutes for studying and 10 minutes for a break each hour. You can (and should) adjust this to fit this to suit yourself, but you should find a good work/rest balance and stick to it.
When you’re on a break, definitely get away from your desk and from concentrating heavily on something (like reading or checking Facebook). Go for a walk, as this both clears your mind and is exercise (the perfect rest from sitting and studying).
If you have an instrument — play it. I’m a drummer, and sitting behind the drums and playing to one of my favorite songs was the perfect release.
5. Plan Ahead
Get a calendar of some description, whether it’s a physical one on the wall or on your computer. Decide what you have to do for the next week and divide it between the different days.
Maybe you have soccer practice on Tuesdays — plan around it and make up the time another day. For me, that meant giving myself two hours off on Mondays and Thursdays, so I could go play chess at my local college club.
The beauty of this is not just that everything gets done, but also the fact that once you’ve completed everything that you’ve scheduled for that day, you can stop studying and go off and do something without feeling guilty that you’re not doing enough.
6. Do Exam Questions
Strictly an exam based tip, I think it’s safe to say that active study is better than passive study in all aspects. In the same vein, the best way of doing well in an exam is to know the format of the exam papers. At the end of the day, all the exam is in an exam paper, so if you can do ten other ones and get 100%, the eleventh one should come easier to you.
Hopefully, these tips will help you get buenas notas in your exams or will give you ideas as to how you can manage your work load better - good luck!
