Exam Crunch Time – The Best Tips for Last Minute Studying

We have all been in a situation where we get too caught up with life, and term examinations become the least of our priorities. Then with a blink of an eye, the paper is happening in two days. You have 20 chapters to revise, and you don’t have time for all of them, much less read it all more than once. What do you do? You strategise. 

Check out the top tips for last-minute studying that we at inkmypapers have compiled for all you last-minute muggers out there. 

1. Study at a Conducive Place 

You might be used to studying at an overly crowded coffee place like Starbucks. We hate to burst your bubble, but no, Starbucks is not a conducive place to study at. With the drowned out sounds of baristas concocting numerous ice blended Frappuccinos and the lively chats amongst people having a cuppa after lunch, you would have had to be extra disciplined to ignore these distractions. But who are we kidding? You probably wouldn’t be studying or doing your assignment last minute if you had enough discipline. 

We kid, but on a serious note, to stay focused while studying, you will have to be in an environment where everyone around you is as focused. This will motivate you to keep on track with your revision since everyone around you is busy. Also, try not to study in your bedroom as having your bed in close proximity once you start feeling sleepy and restless will be of no help to you.

2. Forget The Textbook

At the very last minute, time is of the essence. You definitely will not have the time to read chapter after chapter of lengthy explanations in your textbook. If your lecturer teaches from a set of slides, make good use of them and make concise notes for revision. Or better yet, you can save yourself a lot of time by approaching your friends for a copy of their notes or referring to previously assigned homework. A little help from your peers goes a long way. This way, you will be able to catch every chapter’s gist instead of having to read every tiny little detail. 

3. Do a Social Media Fast

In the name of keeping distractions at bay, it is highly recommended for you to disconnect yourself from social media or merely staying offline until your exam is over. Not being on social media or even on your phone entirely when you intend to remain focused will minimise distractions from your phone’s constant dinging due to notifications. Sure, you can take short breaks in between chapters, but you should be using that time wisely to catch as much rest as possible and not fiddle around with your phone for a full 15 minutes. 

4. Organise Your Time

Your examination is in a day, and you have to study fast – here is how. Even last-minute study sessions require some kind of planning. A proper plan will keep you on track and allow you to monitor your progress as time pasts. It would be helpful if you came up with an hourly plan whereby you task yourself to complete revising one chapter in an hour. If the chapters are long and require more time, determine how long you need for one chapter and follow that guideline strictly and try to keep to time. 

5.  Read Your Material Aloud

This might sound silly, but studying while reading your material aloud can increase the chances of remembering essential points during your paper as it will help your brain retain information more easily. This is because you will be giving your brain extra stimuli – saying aloud the word and hearing it after reading it. However, only try this method if you are not studying at the library as you might disrupt others. 

Know Your Limitations

Regardless of whether you have spent a lot of time revising productively before your examination, the best study tip that can make or break your grade is the amount of rest you have before taking the paper. Fatigue and anxiety directly affect concentration levels, and the last thing you would want to happen is to forget all that you have revised because you had the jitters. If lack of sleep causes you to feel more anxious, try getting 8 hours of sleep before going for any type of examination.