How to master your final exams

Congratulations, Year 12 students! Thirteen years of school have almost come to an end.

Chances are, you are stressing out right now, but studying for your final exams does not have to be stressful. There is no need to panic if you have a good plan.

Here are some easy tips to follow to make the next few weeks run smoothly and help you do your very best on your exams.

1. Start early. In fact, start now.

start-early

The next few weeks will fly by if you let them get away from you, so start doing the right thing today.

Write up a simple plan for how you are going to spend your time and create a realistic study timetable (that you have a chance of sticking to). Even if you don’t stick to it 100% you’ll feel organised and in control, and you should make progress.

2. Take care of your health.

vegies

This is honestly the most important thing you can do, because taking care of your health and wellbeing will help you do well more than anything else!

Eating the right foods is important. Ensure you eat as many vegetables and healthy grains as possible over the exam period – and regularly, as your body needs energy. Never skip breakfast and remember to consume foods that contain protein and carbohydrates to provide you with enough energy to sustain you throughout the exam period. As tempting as it can be to snack on artificial sugary sweets, try snacking on fruits and natural sugars (like honey) to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Staying well hydrated is also a must. Be sure to drink lots of water, especially as the weather is starting to heat up!

3. Get enough sleep.

healthy-you-unsw

Aim to get the recommended eight to nine hours of sleep every night. Sleep plays an important role in re-energising your body (and your mind) for the day ahead.

Try turning off all electronics 30 minutes before you go to sleep, so you don’t get distracted watching cat videos or checking Snapchat.

Don’t stay up late to cram, it’s not very helpful for remembering things and it makes it hard to stay awake and concentrate the next day.

4. Exercise.

Noticing a theme yet? More important than actually studying is taking care of your health: eating good food, getting enough sleep and exercise.

Get your blood pumping with some exercise, it helps relieve stress and improve brain functions. Organise a sports game with some friends so you can catch up and take a study break, or just take your dog for a walk. The fresh air and exercise will do wonders for your concentration levels and capabilities when you return to studying.

5. Study smart.

study-desk

Why study hard when you can study smart? Follow these simple guidelines and you will find yourself studying better than ever before.

  • Plan your study, prioritise the subjects you know you need to give more time to, and follow a timetable or to do list, depending on what works best for you. Be sure to allocate study time for all of your subjects and set yourself goals to maximise your potential. Tick off items on your list as you complete them.
  • Space: Create or find a space for studying that is quiet, private, comfortable and has good light. Eliminate all distractions. Turn off your phone.
  • Check: Regularly stop, think and reflect on whether your studying habits are working for you. Are you absorbing the information and do you understand it? Test yourself with some quiz questions and see what you think of your own answers. Writing out test answers will help you remember the subject matter, too.
  • Chill: Remember the big picture and stay calm. Keep trying and making an effort, but remember you can only do as much as one person can do, and you can only do your best! As long as you are trying your best to study, you are doing great – and simply trying is much better than despairing or doing nothing.

6. Take breaks.

Breaks are necessary to ensure productive study – no one can study constantly. Be sure to take a break or two or three in between study!

7. Breathe!

breathe
Sometimes things can get overwhelming. Don’t freak out – everyone is in the same boat. You can only do your best, and you will be surprised how well you can do if you just try your best. There are so many different options open to you and roads you can take after your university exams are over.

So, take a step back from everything and remember to breathe. You’re almost there and YOU CAN DO IT!