10 Study Tips for Midterms and Big Tests
Is stress keeping you from studying? Are you worried about how you are going to do on your test? Are you trying to cram all of your studying into one weekend? If this is you: Relax. Take a deep breath. You can do this.
Whether you have 2 days or 2 weeks left to study, it’s never too late to start preparing. Follow these 10 simple study tips for midterms and other big tests, and you’re sure to ace your exam.
Our Favorite Ten Tips for Studying
1. Make a study guide and flashcards
Preparing for a test is a lot of work, and it can seem very daunting. You’ll thank yourself if you start preparing for a test weeks or months in advance. Try making a habit of creating flashcards every day after class from that day’s content. If you do this, you will be able to revise for tests over long periods of time.
You could use Quizlet to make virtual flashcards so you can have them in your back pocket at all times. Flashcards are a great way to memorize things quickly, but remember to make study guides too. Study guides are a great way to compile and condense your notes and will help you make connections between topics in different units.
2. Spread out time spent studying and take breaks
It's easy to get exhausted when studying for too long in one place without taking breaks. To combat burnout, take regular, short breaks. Don't waste time scrolling on TikTok or watching TV, instead, go outside, take a walk, stretch, listen to music, or read a book.
Besides taking short breaks, changing study topics every so often is a great way to challenge yourself and stretch your brain. The brain works like a muscle: it gets tired if you use it too much, but it also gets stronger if you exercise it. The more you learn, the better you'll do on tests!
3. Fuel your body and brain with nutritious food, exercise, and good sleep
The best way to stay healthy and active is to nourish your body with the fresh, nutritious proteins, fats, and carbs it needs to thrive. Here’s a list of 5 nutritions snacks to help you focus, but remember to eat three full meals a day too.
It’s equally as important to prioritize time for exercise. Exercise is one of the oldest and most effective forms of therapy. Even a yoga flow or walk for 30 minutes a day is enough to release natural endorphins and brain chemicals which will lower feelings of anxiety and help you to relax.
To be at your best during the day, you need to remember to get 8 hours of sleep a night. Sleep makes your brain more active, is good for your immune system, and helps consolidate memories and make them easier to retrieve later on. It allows us to calm our nerves and relax our muscles after a hard day of school. But most importantly, it helps recharge and revitalize your brain cells so they can function at their optimum levels the next day. Don’t sacrifice sleep to study; this will work against you!
4. Organize your life
When studying, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all that needs to be done and lose sight of what to do next. That’s why it’s important to organize your life and break your responsibilities down into manageable chunks. Try keeping a detailed and color-coded daily calendar and assignment notebook. It will help you visualize your day and week and make it easier to pick out what must be tackled now and what can be saved for later.
Organize your notes from class too with fun colored sticky tabs, highlights, or rainbow pens. Detailing different topics in different ways will help you separate thoughts when studying and when thinking back to the material during a test.
5. Meet with students and friends for a study group
Studying is hard. It requires a lot of focus and discipline. One thing that can help diversify your study routine is to partner with someone, or a group of people, to study.
A study group can help you remember things you've forgotten, help you earn clarification about something you're confused about, and collaborate to find strategies to ace your tests. A study group is a great tool to both make sure you’re on the right track and ensure that you’re prepared for anything that comes your way.
6. Find the perfect study spot
Finding the ideal place to study is actually pretty important. You want to find a place where you'll be most comfortable, so consider factors like noise, temperature, lighting, and how close it is to your bedroom or distraction. If you find yourself constantly distracted by outside noises or the TV on in the background, then it's time to distance yourself from these things and try a new space.
Some people need library silence to study, others need white noise through headphones, still others study their best at a loud and bustling coffee shop. Sometimes it's even nice to study outside if you really need inspiration. Find what works best for you in different situations and remember to switch up the environment every so often.
7. Quiz yourself—often
When it comes to studying, it helps to quiz yourself often … at least one hour per day. Using flashcards and practice questions are great tools for quizzing yourself. Quizlet is a good tool because it can automatically generate virtual flashcards into practice quizzes. You can practice the concepts with traditional flashcards or fill in the blank, matching, and multiple-choice quiz formats.
Stick with whatever you have found that works for you, but it’s helpful to mix up the way you quiz yourself so that you can prepare for any type of question you may encounter on your test. When studying for multiple tests at once, be sure to revisit material intermittently so you don't lose sight of what you have already learned. Jumping back and forth between topics is also great for strengthening your brain and preventing study burnout.
8. Try the Pomodoro Method
The Pomodoro Method is a simple time-management technique that makes it easy to work on your projects for short, focused amounts of time. It has you work in short bursts with frequent breaks, which helps you stay focused and productive as well as relaxed and refreshed. It's simple: work for 25 minutes, rest for 5 minutes, repeat three times, then take a 15-minute break. After four "pomodoros," take a longer break (30-90 minutes).
There are many apps for this so you don't have to manually log your time, but keeping track of the time you spend studying is very important for you to assess your time management skills and how much you procrastinate. Seeing where you time goes while studying and having breaks to look forward to will motivate you to use your work time efficiently.
9. Read and reread your study guide and flashcards
The way to study effectively is to have a plan and stick to it. You can't just wait till the night before a test and cram. If you want to give yourself enough time to study and get good grades, prepare your study materials 2-3 weeks ahead of time. Before bed is a great time to review your study guide, while during breakfast or on the way to school have a parent, sibling, or friend quiz you with flashcards.
If you do this consistently every day for 2-3 weeks before a test, you should be able to answer every question because the content from your study guide and flashcards will be locked tightly in your memory.
10. Meet with a tutor
Meeting with a tutor or your teacher outside of class time when you’re not clear on a topic is crucial when studying for a test. There are many reasons you need a tutor as a high school student. Thankfully, there is always someone you can turn to for extra help.
UPchieve offers 24/7, free, online tutoring for high school students. So if you’re reading this the night before the test, it’s not too late! Our free tutors are just a few clicks away.
Additional Resources for Studying
Ready to ace your next test, but need additional help to make sure you succeed all year round? Check out these articles, and get ready to achieve your goals!