Study Tips to Boost Exam Scores

CEBU, Philippines – Now that the Christmas and New Year holidays are over, life for most people has started to go back to normal. There are no more firecracker explosions and no more series of parties. Now, pockets are also drained.

It is indeed a time to once again get serious with life. Young people, in particular, have to go back to school. But, wait - in Cebu, the festivities are not really over yet. Sinulog beats are already starting to give a hint of another big celebration.

Apparently, Cebu City students are not out of the woods yet in terms of merrymaking. Which might be a problem, since examination week is also in the horizon. It is high time for them to learn study techniques that are proven effective.

Following are some of these techniques:

1.Prepare ahead! Make a study game plan. Do not study hard, study smart. Don't dive head first into the topic. That's the way that would actually cost a lot of time. Instead, create a study game plan where you -

• specify the day to begin preparing for the exams

• create a daily schedule of tasks to be accomplished during exam preparation

• create a detailed to-do list, and keep a close eye on what is really important

• enumerate the books  to be read; better concentrate on the important sections to be covered in the test

• itemize the various tasks and exercises to do for the preparation

2. Make a fixed schedule. Schedule study period at a certain time of the day and stick to it. After a while, it will become a routine.

3. Set definite goals. Decide what topics to study on a particular day and set a goal of the topics to cover. If some topics are missed out in the time allotted, rethink how much time to allot each subject and adjust goals accordingly.

4. Designate a place for studying. There should be a particular place set aside just for studying, where it is quiet and away from distractions. Make this area comfortable, as well as useful, by preparing the space with items needed for studying. The study time will run uninterrupted when all the things necessary are just within reach.

5. Make summaries. Create summaries while working through a book. That way, the fundamentals to focus on are established without having to read the book all over again. But also try to get used to quickly identifying the key statements in large texts that are very likely to be asked in the exam.

6.Use a mnemonic device. Easily remember letter sequences and keys by revamping them into a story that’s easy to relate to.

7. Apply makeover to notes. For each major concept to be remembered, create a mental picture and then look at it in the mind’s eye carefully for a few seconds. It also helps to amp up notes with colors and visuals; this has been proven to help in the recall of the details when it's game time.

8. Get plenty of sleep. Sleep deprivation can affect memory, making it difficult to retain what has been studied. So a good sleep is important. Also, a good exercise routine and a healthy diet helps to improve memory.

9. Take a break. It is difficult to swallow it all in one gulp. Take a break every 30 to 40 minutes. Get something to drink or do stretching. This should be a short break, just a few minutes that won't break the concentration and gets one sidetracked.

10. Block distractions - literally. Focus is very important. For example, it does not help to be checking websites during breaks, especially websites that have nothing to do with the topics being studied.

To make the study schedule fun, it is good to have a study partner. It can be boring sometimes to be studying alone; a partner can help keep up the enthusiasm. Conducive music also helps; but it's different things to different people - but there's a right music for each individual, to help focus one's mind.

It helps as well to avoid eating heavy meals at least two hours before studying. Research shows that after a large meal, blood flow is diverted to the gastrointestinal tract to aid digestion and away from the brain where it is needed while studying. Excessive caffeine or sugar intake can also affect concentration and retention of new information.

And, for the efforts expended - regardless of the actual outcome - one deserves a treat afterwards. There may still be time to join a Sinulog street party.  Pit Senyor!

Sources: www.planetofsuccess.com/blog; http://www.buzzfeed.com/melissaharrison; www.ehow.com