The right exam preparation does not only bring good marks – it also helps you to reduce the stress and anxiety of testing at the same time. Whether in school, training, further education, or university – examinations (often annoying) are part of learning. But they don’t have to be: we’ll give you essential tips for the perfect exam preparation with which you can learn how to learn! Here’s how to prepare optimally for exams and tests…
What is the Best Way to Prepare for an Exam?
Learning is hard work. Working through lecture slides and scripts, memorising formulas and technical terms, solving complex problems – all of this has little to do with fun. But it is necessary and simply part of thorough examination preparation. However, so that this doesn’t happen at the last minute and end in pressure cramming, you should start learning and preparing for the exam early. Various clever learning strategies and effective learning techniques can support and motivate you in your revision.
No more agonising fear of examinations: with the following 11 tips for exam preparation, you will not only reduce learning stress, but also increase your chances of success in the exam:
Visualising Goals
To stay motivated, you should be clear from the outset why you are working so hard. Visualise your learning objective. However, this does not mean the best possible exam grade. Instead, focus on what’s at the end: a good degree certificate improves your job prospects and your chances of getting a well-paid, desired position. This in turn enables you to live a financially freer life. The more concrete you make your goal, the greater your motivation for learning.
Creating a Learning Environment
The environment has a huge influence on learning success. A musty, dark corner with a messy desk? This only makes studying more difficult. Optimal exam preparation includes ensuring a quiet, well-lit place in advance, which is free from distractions. If necessary, switch off your smartphone and music. Also, organise a comfortable seating area: not so comfortable that you fall asleep, but pleasant enough that you can sit there for a few hours. Important: always sit upright – this improves oxygen supply!
Limiting Learning Material
Take the time to get an overview of the learning material first. Collect all the important content, notes, scripts, exercises, and lecture slides – and then limit the material: which parts are actually relevant for the exam? This will help you use your learning time more efficiently.
Creating a Learning Plan
Even limited learning material can seem like an invincible mountain at first. The trick is to divide the mountain into small, digestible portions. Once you have portioned the learning material, create a learning plan: decide when, what, and how much you will do each day. Many believe this leaves less free time, but the opposite is true: those who plan (and stick to it!) create space for the things that are more fun. You’ll also get the good feeling of having your exam preparation under control.
Structuring the Learning Day
Create firm rituals. For example: in the morning you study alone in the library, focusing on new content and summaries. At lunch, take a break and go out with friends to eat in the canteen. In the afternoon, you repeat the material learnt, either alone or with fellow students. Routines like this have one advantage: they are independent of motivation. Once they become a habit, you will automatically learn more regularly and with structure.
Merging Content
Bringing content together repeatedly in your own words (in writing) has proven effective countless times. Don’t just repeat the material – structure, combine, and condense it. This makes your understanding deeper and more lasting. Summaries don’t have to be in text form; you can also use mind maps, sketches, or flowcharts. To remember learning content better, involve multiple senses. For example, record your summaries as an audio file and listen to them while commuting to university.
Incorporating Success Checks
Reading is not the same as learning. By writing down what you have learnt – for example, on flashcards – you can test yourself regularly and identify where the gaps still are. This method will also give you more confidence during the test and create small moments of success.
Finding Supporters
Working in a study group can also reveal your learning progress. Everyone benefits from regular meetings. For example, you can explain topics to each other and provide support during low-motivation phases. You can also simulate test situations, taking turns as examiner and examinee. The exchange within a study group helps to relieve exam stress, and anyone who realises they can explain something well to others also recognises their own progress.
Taking Breaks
Your brain is not endlessly receptive. On average, it needs a 15-minute break after 90 minutes at the latest. After a maximum of three sessions, you should take at least an hour off. Otherwise, your concentration and memory retention will decrease. Regular breaks – paradoxical as it may sound – are an effective way to prepare for exams. During breaks, do something completely different so that your brain can rest and recharge.
Ensuring Sleep
Just like breaks, regular sleep is an essential part of optimal exam preparation. Sleep strengthens memory, as we reorganise and store the information we have learnt. Freshly learned material is transferred into long-term memory, and unnecessary information is discarded. Good sleep hygiene helps you feel rested and refreshed, enabling you to absorb new information more effectively.
Finding Rewards
The exam period is full of sacrifices. Most of your time and energy is devoted to studying. Friends and hobbies are often neglected. This can affect your mood and patience. Counteract this by recognising your progress and rewarding yourself. Tick off completed topics on a checklist – this will give you a sense of getting closer to your goal. Treat yourself after a hard study day – an evening with friends, an episode of your favourite series, or an hour of sport.
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