Why You Shouldn’t Procrastinate Studying for Your Next Exam
June 9, 2022
We have all been there. You find out ahead of time that you have an exam coming up. Teachers will most likely give at least a week's notice that a test or exam is coming up. If it is a heavily weighed test, such as a final exam, you may know the date when you first start the class. And yet many students will do the one thing that can put their grade in jeopardy, procrastinate. This classic mistake is one that all students make, but only some learn from. So, when should you start studying? Continue reading to find out why you should start thinking about for your next upcoming test now.
Study a little bit everyday
Every teacher tells you to do this, and for a reason. Setting aside time every day to go over new material is critically important. This does not have to be a big part of your day, but it is important to follow the same schedule. A good amount of time to start with is an hour every day, which can decrease or increase depending on your individual study needs.
Make A Study Plan
Even if your test is not coming up soon, one of the best ways of guaranteeing that A is to start planning now. These study plans can range from figuring out what topics you are still struggling with, thanks to a little bit of everyday studying, to what will be the best way to study for your exam. Will it be flashcards or rewriting your notes? Creating a study plan ahead of time will help alleviate stress and allow you to focus on what is important.
You can take study breaks
Cramming for an exam the night before is perhaps one of the worst things a student can do. Not only will you have to rush through the material, but you will not be able to get a good night's sleep before your exam. Studies have shown that getting 8 hours of sleep a night improves your academic performance and sleep deprived students have a lower GPA. Also studying ahead of time will allow for study breaks, and even study naps! Sleeping right after studying has also been shown to improve memory retention.
You can form a study group or a time to study with other students
One of the best ways to study can be reviewing with others. By starting to plan early for your next exam, you can have time to reach out to other students and make a study group. This can allow you to get help on concepts from different people and you can help solidify your own knowledge by teaching others the material you know. Also, it limits studying procrastination by having set times for the group to get together and study. Plus, it is a terrific way to make friends!
No Temptation to Cheat
It is a sad fact that students are more likely to cheat or plagiarize if they have low expectations of success due to perceived lack of ability or test anxiety. But by studying ahead of time and being prepared, the thought of cheating will not even come to your mind. As well, many exams are now using proctoring services that protect against cheating and maintain academic integrity and validity. If you need proctoring services, check out Ashton Testing Services.Written by Maria Veras
