How to study for an exam last minute!

We all have done it before. We get caught up in life only to realize there's an exam tomorrow, and we should have been studying. We then panic, fearing we will fail the exam and take a drastic hit to our grades. Well, no worries; as an IB Diploma applicant and currently a university student, I have advice for you that helped me through my academic journey in times of procrastination. And this list of advice will help you, too. Keep reading to learn how to study for an exam last minute!

1. Sleep, then study!

This advice is for all the students who plan to stay up late at night and then sleep. Please don't do it. This is a grave mistake. If you plan to cut into sleep, sleep first and then wake up early. Not the other way around. You are likely already sleepy and tired when you try to study late at night after a full day. You may not realize it, but you are studying slower than usual, and your fatigue may make learning concepts more difficult. I can't tell you how often I spent hours on one math question while studying at night, only to fall asleep and wake up solving it in under 2 minutes. Yes, it can be that dramatic. When you're tired, your brain doesn't process information correctly, and learning new concepts is much more complex than needed. So sleep first before studying if you're exhausted often. Naps can help if you plan to research mid-day or at night.

2. Watch videos before tackling any concept

Of course, if you can learn a concept by just reading the slides, take the route. This advice is more for subjects like math or science that require learning methods and executing them. These subjects can't be learned quickly by looking at the textbook. Don't spend hours trying to figure it out, staring at a textbook or an inanimated page. Use videos to speed up the process. There are YouTube videos everywhere that will likely explain what you are studying much faster and in a clear format. I learned many lessons that professors and teachers spent hours teaching only for a random woman on YouTube to teach me in ten minutes with the best method possible. The best way to study using videos is to write after them, like taking notes in class. Write side by side. Once you get an idea, take what you have written and use it as an example you can do to attack the material provided by the class. Actively engaging with the material and videos will ensure you learn what you need to learn just in time for the exam, faster than just using the material alone.

3. Tea, coffee, and water

These three drinks help. Tea can relax you and help you focus, coffee gives caffeine, which will fight fatigue and help you stay up to speed in your studies, and water is the essential thing here: don't study dehydrated. You need to think at your best cognitive level. Drink water throughout your studies, even if it doesn't make a difference. It is, trust me. If you don't drink coffee or tea, drink water.

Bonus: I drink coffee before my exam; it helps me score better because it prevents fatigue and boosts me during the exam.

4. Rewrite, Rewrite, and Rewrite

Is there a critical equation or fact you need to memorize during the exam? Write that equation or fact down ten times as fast as possible without thinking. Say it while you write it, too. When you finish, start testing yourself by writing on a separate piece of paper/flashcard without looking at your notes or the ones you previously wrote. If you can't do it, rewrite it five more times and try it again. This is one of my most effective methods for memorization. Doing this should allow you to imprint what you need to know in time for the exam; it should take under five minutes at most for each fact or equation.

Bonus: I suggest going through everything by memory an hour before the exam so you can relearn anything that may have slipped from the time since you studied.

5. Maximize your time

Put the phone to the side, turn off your TV, turn up the music (study music), and attack. Studying is like entering a battlefield; how much you put in will decide if you will survive this exam. Quickly put together a plan and start knocking out things. Get as much practice as possible before the exam because the more practice you can get in, the higher your grade. Know what you're studying, and here is a suggested order that you can use to start your attack:

1. Learn each concept first (watch the video and try a question from each lesson/run through study notes and make sure you can recall and grasp the situation)

2. Attack the study guide if you have one (once you relearn everything, attacking the study guy will go a lot faster, and you will be prepared. Also, the guide will catch anything important you may have missed)

3. Practice, practice, practice (Recognize your weaknesses and start fixing them, working your way down the chain. The more practice you get in before that exam, the higher that score will be)

I find this order the most time-saving format because once you know what you're doing, you'll do it faster.

Conclusion: This way on how to study for an exam last minute works!

Studying for an exam requires a lot of focus, especially at the last minute. Use available resources, drink, and study for that exam! I know you got this!

Thank you for reading our blog, provided by Survival Wolves Official LLC.  If you have any thoughts, questions, or criticisms of our review that you would like to share, please leave them below in the comment section!

"We wish you the best on your exam!"- Survival Wolves Official Team.