- Set up your “studying” area (no one studies well in the middle of the kitchen with everyone running around, or sitting on your bed or in an area you’re used to. relaxing in) Get a clear, quiet space and ask others to respect your studying time
- No phone zone – turn off your phone or put it away during your study time. Doesn’t mean you have to stay off Snapchat all night! Just give yourself an allotted time to really focus, then dive into scrolling through your phone.
- Don’t study hungry…really.
- Prioritize your finals. What is your hardest test? What are the tests you’ll take first? Tackle the tough stuff first. What are the key components of the test? Don’t go crazy trying to master it all. Master what you need.
- Take breaks between subjects. Just take breaks in general. Mental breaks are SO important.
- Set the “college” discussions aside. Whether you’re a senior and your mom is asking about adding one more safety school or a Junior and conversations of “We just got your PSAT scores, let’s talk about which tutor to schedule” are circling around the dinner table, ask for a no college discussion zone. Your courses and grades can be one of the biggest admission factors. When all you really need to be doing is studying for the Gov final, nothing adds more stress than convos about your future. Tackle your immediate challenge. The college conversation can always pop up without fail…just after finals.
- Don’t pull an all-nighter before your exams. Cramming an extra two hours between 2:00 a.m. – 4:00 a.m. won’t help your game. You’ll be so sleep deprived you won’t remember!
Okay I lied there’s one more…
8. Be confident. A HUGE percentage of your success on exams is purely mental. If you say you’re going to probably get a C, well…then that’s the bar you’ve set for yourself. Set it higher. See what happens.
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