How to Study for Exams

Want to know how to study for upcoming exams? In this guide, we'll go through the most important parts of the process, which unfortunately tend to be overlooked far too often.

1. The urgency of now!

I've noticed a strange phenomenon when it comes to studying. For some reason, people tend to spend a lot more time worrying about their exams than actually preparing for them. If you are worried about an upcoming exam, why not turn that negative energy into something positive instead? Whenever you start to worry again, take it as a sign that it's time to hit the books. Don't give in to procrastination. Do your studying, and do it now!

2. A road map goes a long way

Always keep your exam date close to heart. Time goes by pretty fast, and you may be surprised when "3 weeks left" suddenly turns into "5 days left." Don't let this happen to you. Organize your studies and memorize all of your test dates. Put them up on the wall if necessary.

A good way to build your road map is to first mark the date of your upcoming exam, then outline all the major topics you need to have covered by then. Finally, divide these topics into smaller tasks, describing the everyday, tedious, "getting your hands dirty" work that simply has to be done. This could be something like reading chapter 3 or solving problem 5a.

3. Compile an "I don't know" paper (IDKP)

This is something I personally like to do. Whenever you begin a new course, take a piece of paper or open a text document and start recording all the things you need to understand before the test date. These are the things we intend to ask our professors about, but instead we put it off and forget about them until it's too late.

By collecting all of your "I don't knows" in an IDKP, you can seek out the answers at the end of each week, either by asking a classmate or your professor, or by looking them up in the library or online.

Either way, don't let a question go unanswered, or you will regret it later when you're sitting in the exam and realize that your unanswered question is now an exam question. The motto is: answer your own questions before they become exam questions!

4. Are you on track?

It's easy to neglect work, and even easier when it comes to education. That's why you should set aside one day at the end of each week for the sole purpose of tracking your progress. Are you on track? Have you finished the tasks you outlined in your road map? Have you answered all the questions you've been wondering about? If not, then no play for you until you're back on schedule.

Sure, missing one day isn't that bad. The problem, my friend, is when one day becomes two days, and two turn into three, and so on. Days tend to add up pretty quickly. If you're behind schedule, try to get back on track as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more difficult it becomes.

For a detailed schedule based on how much time you have left, see how to prepare for an exam.