How to Prepare for Exams: Top 12 Tips For ABU Students
Studying hard and preparing very well is the key to success in an examination especially in ABU Zaria. The big question is always how do one Prepare for Exams? It is difficult to know exactly how best to go about this until you have some experience.
The Abusites has put together a list of ten top tips and ideas on how to Prepare for Exams based on experience and expert opinion, to help especially those still quite new to exams at this prestigious university.
These ten top tips and ideas on how to Prepare for Exams are very important and will help you to both study well, and perform better in the exam.
List of Top 12 Tips on How to Prepare for Exams
- Have a positive attitude.
The great Henry Ford once said “whether you think you can, or think you can’t – you’re right”, and it’s a sentiment that many successful people live by. Believing in yourself, and having faith in your ability to do something, can often be the tipping point between success and failure.
When it comes to exams especially here in ABU, having that positive mindset before the exams as well as when you go into the hall will help you feel at ease and more able to approach questions productively.
- Start your revision early and space out your studying.
There is no substitute for starting early with revision here in ABU. If you start 20 days before and study ½ hour a day that is 10 hours of preparations. Also, create summaries of your study sessions.
READ ALSO: 5 Best Study Skills for Successful ABU Students
You must give yourself enough time to review everything that you have studied and make sure that you understand it (or to read around the subject or ask for help if you are struggling). Last-minute cramming is much less productive.
Ideally, review each subject as you go, and make sure that you understand it fully as this will make revision much easier. Ultimately, the best tip on How to Prepare for Exams is to study hard and know your subject, and starting early is the best way to achieve this.
- Have specific goals for each study session.
For each study session, set yourself a goal to keep track of what you are studying or revising. This keeps you focused. You can note down your study goals as soon as you start with your study session or you can set them at the end of the session for the next one. Here are some examples of study goals you can set:
- I will work through at least five equations.
- I will go through and summarise chapters 5 and 6.
- I will understand and learn the key concepts that were taught in week 2 to 4 lectures.
- Review and Practice Old Exam Papers
Reviewing and practicing old exam papers is one of the most effective ways to learn how to prepare for exams. It helps you to familiarise yourself with the format and structure of the question paper.
If possible, try timing yourself when practicing the old exam paper, this will help you to know how much time you are spending on each section.
You can get past exam papers from your senior colleagues, your university library, or you can even search on social media.
- Organize your study materials before you start the session.
When preparing for exams, you need to feel as comfortable as possible and avoid all distractions so that you can concentrate more on studying. Additionally, you also need to sort out all your study material before beginning with the preparation.
Therefore, put your notes in order, check you have all the handouts, write down your summaries for each chapter of your textbook, and prepare an outline of the subject so that you can use it as a last-minute referral.
Keeping everything in order is one of the key study tips that students should keep in mind. It will offer you a comfortable environment and will help you to stay focused during preparation.
- Create your study materials.
Creating your study materials such as Advance organizers, quizzes, mnemonic devices, etc can help a great deal in exam success.
When revising or preparing for an exam, visual aids can turn out to be useful. So first, try to make notes of everything you know about a particular topic, and then when the exams are near, compress those notes to a one-page diagram, quiz, etc.
Having your thoughts recorded in this format will enable you to easily remember everything you need to know while giving the exam.
- Get Together with Friends for Study Sessions
Organizing study sessions or group discussions with your friends is one of the most crucial exam study tips for university students as it helps you get answers to all your questions and vice versa. However, you need to make sure that you do not waste time and stay focused on learning the importance of preparing for exams.
Studying with your friends or your fellow students is also a great way to challenge yourself and keep moving forward towards your goal.
- Attend tutorials
A lot of tutorials are organized by departmental or religious bodies as well as the SRC to help students prepare for exams. These Tutorials can help strengthen subject comprehension, boost confidence, and sometimes help you understand a course better than what your lecturer taught you.
The tutorial gives students individualized attention that they don’t get in a crowded classroom. This helps students who struggle to keep up, as well as those who aren’t challenged enough.
- Study to Suit your Learning Style
Your learning style will help you to know what are the best ways to prepare for an examination. For instance, if you are an auditory learner, you may benefit from recording your notes and then listening to them later, or you can even listen to lecture recordings.
On the other hand, if you are a visual learner, pictures and diagrams can help you remember. So explore what your learning style is so that you can memorize significant facts and understand key concepts.
More so, some students are more comfortable and learn better in a very serene environment. Others prefer to study overnight and rest in the day while others prefer the library and some even the bushes. Whatever style suits you, just stick to it.
- Use Technology.
Online platforms like Quizlet, Youtube, publisher’s practice questions, Khan Academy, etc are excellent technology that can help you in preparing for exams.
Mobile options for exam prepare becoming so popular majorly because of convenience. YouTube and Vimeo have made it incredibly easy for anyone to watch instructional videos on a variety of devices. Another option for examination prep is to listen to audio programming on a mobile device. Audio options include eBooks, instructional podcasts, and lectures.
Some people benefit from being able to simulate the experience of actually taking an exam. There are mobile apps that are specifically dedicated to preparing people to take exams. These apps, such as Pocket Prep, allow students to prepare for exams by actually answering questions similar to those asked on the exams.
- Do Not Cram
Staying up all night and cramming will only make you more anxious and stressed out. So instead of trying to cover everything in your curriculum the day before the exam, it’s better just to review what you have already studied and sleep early.
This will keep you refreshed on the day of your exam. The key exam preparation you should be doing the night before your exam includes the following.
- Eat Healthy and Drink Lots of Water
As one of the most vital tips for exam day, always remember that keeping yourself hydrated will add to your overall positive mood and will make your brain work at its best.
So make sure to drink plenty of water while preparing for exams and even during the exam.
Also, consider eating a healthy meal before the exam day that will provide a slow release of energy throughout the day. Bear in mind that you might crave sweet food, but it will crash your energy levels an hour later.
- Rest.
While it may seem that studying for more hours may result in more productivity, it’s actually the opposite, and it might just wholly drain you out, leaving you with no energy to study and retain knowledge. So it’s essential to take regular breaks for longer retention of information and to freshen up your mind.
Always keep in mind that everyone is different, so what works for you might not work for others. When building a study routine, consider taking intervals to rest when it works best for you. For instance, if you study better at night, take your break early. And if you are more productive in the morning, start studying first before taking a break during lunchtime.
Conclusion
You must consider the exam tips and tricks for students mentioned above to get the most out of your exams. However, there might be other things that work better for you, so explore every option and ask your friends around to find out how they prepare for their exams — some of their final exam study tips might help you as well.
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