Maintain your regular sleep routine. Don’t cut back on your sleep in order to cram in additional study hours. Especially
during final exam weeks, it is important to be well rested in order to remain alert
for extended periods of time. This is no time for partying!
Follow your regular exercise program. Walking, jogging, swimming, or other aerobic activities are effective stress reducers
that may help you think more clearly and provide positive -and needed- breaks from
studying.
Eat right. You really are what you eat. Avoid drinking more than one or two caffeinated drinks
a day or eating food that are high in sugar or fat. Eat a light breakfast before a
morning exam. Choose fruits, vegetables, and other foods that are high in energy-rich
complex carbohydrates. Ask the instructor if you can bring a bottle of water with
you to the exam.
Prepare Emotionally
Know your material. If you have given yourself adequate time to review, you will enter the classroom
confident that you are in control. Study by testing yourself or quizzing each other
in a study group or learning community so you will be sure you really know the material.
Practice relaxing. Some students experience upset stomachs, sweaty palms, racing hearts, or other unpleasant
physical symptoms of test anxiety before an exam. See the Middlesex counselors about
help with relaxation techniques if you experience test anxiety.
Use positive self talk. Instead of telling yourself “I never do well on math tests” or “I’ll never be able
to learn all the information for my history essay exam,” make positive statements,
such as “I have attended all the lectures, done my homework, and passed the quizzes.
Now I’m ready to pass the test!”
Prepare for Test Taking
Find out about the test. Ask your instructor whether the test will be essay, multiple choice, true/false,
fill-in-the-blank, short answer, or another format. Ask how long the test will last
and how it will be graded. Ask whether all questions will have the same point value
and any other information you think might help you prepare for the test. Never miss
the last class before an exam, because your instructor may summarize valuable information!
Design an exam plan. Use the information about the test as you design a plan for preparing. Build that
preparation into a schedule of review dates. Develop a to do list of the major steps
you need to take in order to be ready. The week before the exam, set aside a schedule
of one-hour blocks of time for review, and make notes of specifically what you hope
to accomplish during each hour.
Join a study group. Numerous research studies have shown that joining a study group is one of the most
effective strategies for preparing for an exam. You can benefit from different views
of your instructors’ goals, objectives, and emphasis; have partners quiz you on facts
and concepts; and gain the enthusiasm and friendship of others to help sustain your
motivation.
Get a tutor. If you think tutoring is just for failing students, you’re wrong! Often the very
best students seek tutorial assistance to ensure their A’s. Make sure to visit the
FREE academic support services on both campuses.
