9 top study tips to help you cram for your exams

Brought to you by Pro Plus. 

Argghhhh!!

Ok, calm down. There’s still plenty of time to get this done. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you’re coming up to the exams but the first thing you need is a plan.

Curling up into a foetal position and crying might seem like a good option but it really isn’t. Once you’ve got a study plan and routine in place, it’s much easier to start shovelling all that information into your brain. So here are some top tips if you’re making up for lost time.

Find a cramming HQ

It’s important to choose somewhere you can actually get some work done without any distractions, whether that’s the library, a café or your room. One thing to watch out for is nesting, where panicky students spend hours reorganising their study area. Forget Feng Shui – all you need is a desk and some peace.

Don’t overdo the coffee

Let’s face it. You’re going to use caffeine when you’re cramming, whether that’s coffee or Pro Plus caffeine tablets. Just make sure you don’t overdo it and end up bouncing off the walls because you’ve drank your body weight in coffee.

Take breaks

When shovelling facts into your brain at the last minute, it’s more important than ever to take a break. Aim for 50 minutes of cramming then take 10 minutes to do whatever you want. Establishing this routine helps you to knuckle down until the next break and keeps you focused for relatively short blocks of time.

Write it down

What’s that, grandpa? Sure, it sounds old-school but the process of writing things down can actually help you to retain facts. Rewrite key details on cards that you can glance over later. It’s so much more effective than highlighting an entire page of notes for no apparent reason.

Don’t sweat the small stuff

If you’re running out of time and you’re brain is overloaded, don’t get bogged down in the minor details. This is cramming and you’re looking to maximise your time. Make sure that you know the big points and really understand them. You can try and recall the smaller details on the day but have a good grasp of the big stuff.

Talk it out

Reading out loud can increase the chances of it sticking. So shout, read or recite aloud and you’ll make all those facts extra sticky. Your housemates/parents might think you’ve lost it but it’ll be worth those concerned looks if it works.

Know your enemy

We’re not saying that lecturers or teachers lack imagination but exam papers tend to follow similar themes or lines of questioning. Get old exam papers to see how they phrase the questions and what areas they cover. It’ll make you feel better prepared and help you acclimatise to exam questions.

Don’t panic or get overwhelmed

It’s easy to say but panicking really doesn’t help. You could spend two hours telling your mate how screwed you are or you could actually do something in that time. Don’t think about the exam. Think about what you can do in the next hour. And then the hour after that. And so on.

Don’t do all-nighters

Here’s a secret. Your sleep-deprived mind won’t recall any of that stuff you were “studying” between 3am and 8am. And now it’s mush. It’s much better to study what you can, get some sleep, and then recall what you actually studied during the exam.

Pro Plus provides you with a caffeine kick that can relieve the symptoms of fatigue and tiredness, helping you to find your focus. Just two tablets provides 100mg of caffeine, which is equivalent to one cup of strong coffee.

Available from pharmacies and supermarkets nationwide. For more information, check out the website.

Brought to you by Pro Plus. 

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