Exams come with the university territory, so instead of using valuable energy stressing about the inevitable, direct your efforts into preparing yourself as best as possible for that unavoidable time at the end of every study period.
Here are our top tools and techniques for making sure you’re exam ready.
Prepare the basics
The single most important part of being prepared for exams is making sure you know the basics. All the work in the world won’t help if you miss an exam because of mixed up dates, times or buildings.
Do yourself a favour and get a rundown of everything you need to know to make sure you’re prepared for sitting the exam.
The same rule applies for each individual exam. Make a checklist that covers off weighting, formatting and what the learning outcomes are. This way your study will be better informed and ultimately prove a great guide for your time allocation throughout the preparation period.
Remember, if you’re still unsure about the information or can’t find what you’re looking for, post on the discussion board or email your OLA directly.
Studying smart still means studying hard
Ever heard the saying ‘hard work is its own reward’? Well nothing rings truer for your studies and the results you’ll get if you know your materials, have been actively engaged with collaborative discussions and have put in the effort throughout the teaching period.
Surprise questions on material that you haven’t covered during the teaching period simply won’t happen. An exam doesn’t introduce new material – it’s an opportunity to test you against what you’ve already covered over the unit.
Being on top of your coursework over the teaching period means that once exams roll around, you can start revising without a worry.
Revision, revision, revision
You know where your exams are, what time they’ll be and what they’re all about – so now it’s time to revise. The point of revising is to revisit the information you’ve already covered over the teaching period and make sure it’s fresh in your mind.
Avoid mindlessly writing pages and pages of notes that you’ll probably never look at again by instead visually representing your thoughts through mind maps. This will help you gain a better understanding of ideas and easily manage your thoughts.
And keep good track of your notes by storing them in a hard copy protected binder, or if you type them all, a free service like Google Drive or Evernote should be just what you’re after.
Keep motivated
All your prep work is done, and you’re settling in for the long haul revision stage which can seem never ending and sometimes like nothing is being absorbed.
An excellent way to keep motivated is by incentivising your study blocks by rewarding yourself at the end of each block with a short break – go for a walk, scan your social media pages, or just sit and have a quiet moment to yourself.
Also try and shift your perceptions of study so instead of seeing it as something that’s taking up all your spare time, think of studying as part of your personal development and an investment in to your future.
Nix negative statements such as ‘this is too tough’ or ‘I can’t study because’ and shift your thinking towards a positive study mindset. This fresh way of thinking puts all your hard work into perspective.
If you are a current student you can find more exam tips in the Student Hub. Remember the Student Advisors are also on hand for support and can be reached via email on phone 1300 937 765.
