Opinion

5 Tips On Studying For Exams Without Losing Sleep

Long hours and restless nights are no stranger to medical students. Big exams or hours of memorisation can leave students exhausted and sleep deprived. Here are some great study tips to try and make better use of your time, and help you prepare for tests while attending medical, nursing, dental, or any school for that matter.

 

5. Work with a study group. This can be a double-edged sword. It can turn out to be helpful; however, it can also be distracting and lead to wasted time. If you can put together a good study group of your peers, this can be a great way to truck through material and study for exams together. Also, when you explain information to someone else it can set in deeper then if you were to just read it to yourself one time. Study time can also be more entertaining when you have people to keep you company.

 

4. Flash cards are a great way to help memorisation. The good thing about them is that you are practicing memorising when you initially write them. Then they are easy to carry and bring with you anywhere for quick little study sessions. The brain works great in short spurts and can help with memorisation. Bring the cards to the gym to go through on the treadmill, or keep them with you for when you are waiting in line somewhere. This is a great way to study when you have nothing better to do, and find yourself with a few minutes of free time.

 

3. Stay rested. Long nights of cramming are not a successful way to learn. Once you start to get tired, lie down for the night and get some sleep. Wake up again in the morning and get in some more studying then. Long hours can lead to wasted time as you drift off to sleep. This can also cause you to be over exhausted the day of the actual exam causing you to do worse then if you got to bed early and started the day off with a good breakfast, and quick review.

 

2. Take good notes. When you are in class, make sure to be prepared and to pay attention. Why waste your time and your teachers by just showing up. Really work to concentrate. Surprisingly, this will make studying later on a lot easier. If you don’t remember what you are trying to study it can make for twice the work. Keep your notes from class well organized and make sure to check with classmates for any concepts you didn’t understand or may have missed.

 

1. Set study dates and stick to them. If you have assignments and projects due you are more likely to pay attention to the deadline. When taking classes often times we don’t begin to study until the exam is in sight. Instead try to start studying from the beginning weeks of the class. This is also more helpful as some information builds from the beginning of the course. Make sure that you have a good understanding and foundation from the get-go. This also will mean that by the time of the final exam you already have a pretty good base of understanding. You just need to invest in some time to refresh your memory.

 

Not everyone studies the same, nor do all schedules allow for the same amount of study time. Find the plan and tips that work best for you and stick to it. Procrastination can be the biggest culprit leading to a late night cram session. Be prepared and keep your nose to the books and you will be through medical school before you know it!

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