The exam period can be a nerve wracking time for Jamaican students, as everyone aims to do their best in their CSEC and CAPE exams. Too often students aren’t even sure where or how to begin studying, and the experience can be a nightmare.
Don’t fret. To reduce the stress and anxiety caused by exams, here are 6 study tips to help get you through the exam season:
Past Papers Are Your Best Friend
Sometimes, students know all the information but are not sure how to go about applying
it. The best way to master this is through using past papers. Doing previously written
exam questions can help you familiarize yourself with the structure of the exam and can
give insight into what the examiner is looking for.
Start Early
“Procrastination is the thief of time.”
One of the most common mistakes made by students is starting (to study) too late.
Almost every student has had the experience of not starting studying on time, and
the later realizing that they’ve missed an entire topic, having waited until it’s too close to
the exam date. Combat this by starting to study as early as possible. This way it is easier to break the work into sections and take it step by step, and if you haven’t started studying, START NOW.
Figure Out How YOU Study
When asking other persons for study tips, students often hear ideas like “work in groups”
or “rewrite your notes”. Studying styles vary, and are unique to the student; it is therefore
a student’s responsibility to figure out their studying style reading, writing, listening,
viewing) in order to retain information and to maximize their marks.
Use Every Resource At Your Disposal
During exam season, it’s very easy for students to get frazzled when they are unsure of
where to look for information. One way to combat this is to use every resource that you
have. We live in a world where information is always accessible: – thanks to the internet –
Students can find online reports, watch YouTube videos and use a myriad of other of
online resources. Offline resources can include teachers, textbooks and even attending
subject marathons.
Ask For Help
Being unsure of a concept can be frustrating and disheartening. This is why it is
important to ask for help when you need it. If you’re having trouble grasping a concept,
do not be afraid to ask your teachers, classmates, or even family members to help you
understand it.
Relax / Take A Break
While your grades are important, your health takes priority. During the exam period, students can become extremely stressed, and go to great lengths to achieve high marks, often to the detriment of their own physical and mental health. It is perfectly acceptable to relax and take a break from studying if the work becomes too overwhelming. In addition to this, Psychology Today notes that taking breaks from long periods of work, can increase a person’s levels of productivity, and therefore, can directly contribute to the effectiveness of a study session.
Make sure to use these tips to ensure that your study sessions are successful. Good Luck!
Check out our CSEC and CAPE resources on diG.
Written by Morgan-Leigh Miller, student of Campion College. Edited by Kaeonna Walters. This post appears courtesy of the Do Good Jamaica Professional Pathways high school internship program.