Exam preparation

I don't know about you but my exams start in just over 2 weeks. Eek! In my first year of uni this REALLY stressed me out. My immune system would begin to lose the fight and I'd come down with all manner of strange illnesses. Some lovely examples include: heart palpitations, a blistered tongue (blerk!), and random viruses. Thankfully I didn't experience all of these illnesses at once!

As I've become more confident with sitting exams my stress levels have become more manageable and I no longer get so sick (fingers crossed). The good news for those starting out on this study journey is that it really does get better. If you feel really nervous this time then I'm here to tell you that with practice it should become easier. As long as you actually know your stuff! So, how do I get to know my stuff prior to exams? As usual, I've compiled a list.

1. Create a study plan. This is the MOST IMPORTANT thing you need to do. Check out this link to see the one I created a couple of weeks ago: How to catch up when you slip behind I've had to make a few modifications to it as I've found myself progressing through the tasks faster than anticipated (#FTW!) but I am confident it is guiding me safely and surely to my final destination of low stress exams!
2. If you still have aaages to go before your exams my advice to you is to definitely read your text book and listen to/attend all lectures and tutorials. We often seek out shortcuts whilst studying but selective learning is really risky! If you're aiming for a High Distinction you should read and attend as much as possible. If you're only aiming for a pass you might be able to get away with listening to your lectures, attending tutorials and flipping through your text but there's still no guarantee. I've had a mixture of exams with some favouring the textbook for questions and others more centered around the lectures. I personally don't like to take my chances and it depends on what you're aiming for long term. If I want to become a registered psychologist I need to score Distinctions or above so it's important for me to do well and not just pass.
3. Write notes. You may have been doing this all throughout semester but I don't! I wish I had the time but I just don't so this is something that I start doing once my assignments are out of the way. Notes are great because while you write them you are actively learning (read up on that) and of course they provide good prompts for bringing knowledge out from the dusty depths of your brain prior to exams. 
4. Re-read your lecture slides. I usually print my lecture slides out before I listen to my lecture so  I can write notes all over them. This information is really valuable come exam time. Even without my scribbled notes the slides are useful. They remind me of information that I learned in the lecture. 
5. If your lectures are posted online a good tactic is to listen to a select few before exams. I do this if there is a concept I don't quite understand. Sometimes if you listen a second time it all becomes suddenly clear.
6. Post on your discussion board, search Google or contact your lecturer if there is something you still can't understand. Google has helped me out a few times :-) but of course you need to be wary of what you read online. If you have a grumpy lecturer then I'd say that posting to your discussion board (if you have one) might be a more pleasant experience.
7. Some other tactics for memory retention include creating flashcards or mind maps. I have tried to use them in the past but find them too time consuming to create (even when I'm using an iPad app to make them) so I've given up on doing this. I've know of other people that swear by them.
8. Read your notes aloud to yourself. Some people are auditory learners and a tactic as basic as reading the notes aloud helps them to remember information.
9. If you have an oral exam then I suggest recording yourself delivering the speech. You can then play it back and pick up on any mistakes. I have a friend who memorised a speech by playing it to herself every day for a month as she went for a walk. Exercise + study. Seems a good combination to me! Don't forget that your smartphone probably has a recording feature, there's no need to go out and buy a dictaphone :-)
10. Attempt mock exams. This will give you some idea of what to expect, how much time to allocate to questions, and give you an indication of study areas that you need to refine. 

These are my top tips for 'knowing your stuff' at exam time. I hope you've found this list to be helpful. My next post will be warm and fuzzy with a discussion on some ways to chill out prior to exams.

Bye for now!

How to catch up when you slip behind

Oh my goodness! I can't believe it has been over a year and a half since I last blogged. I think we know where my commitment lies. With study of course! I'm still powering along with my double degree and contending with my children. I've found that maintaining my commitment for blogging has been hard, particularly when the assignments are piling up. Anyway, apologies for my (extreme) tardiness!

Now on to the matter at hand, how to catch up on your studies when you're slipping behind. In the past year I have raised my number of units to 3 per semester plus an additional unit over the summer holidays. This means that over the course of a year I am only 1 unit short from being a full-time student. This is all going well, however, when it comes to that time of semester when assignments are due some things slip by the wayside. I abandon my lectures, tutorials and textbook readings in order to get those assignments done. This strategy works for me but what it means is that I end up with WEEKS of lectures and readings to cram before exams. I suspect that I am not alone. It is quite stressful when you submit your last assignment and realise that you may not have time to catch up before exams arrive. So what is my solution?

The Revision/Catch Up Plan. Once you know what you have to do and how you are going to achieve it your stress levels go from extreme to non-existent (with the exception of your normal exam stress). Here's my plan for this semester. I think I really need to work on it's title. It's not groovy enough. Suggestions for a new title are warmly welcomed.

I've actually been ticking off the tasks that I've completed on my printed copy. Anyway, you get the idea. The steps to create a catch up plan like this are:

1. Type a list of everything you need to catch up on.
2. Create a table in MS Word (or your equivalent program of choice) and set the dates leading up to your exams down one side.
3. Highlight your exams or give those dates a different colour so they stand out like a beacon.
4. Start cutting the work you need to catch up on from your list and paste it into your table. Add bullet points so you can tick off each task as you achieve it (alternatively you can just cross through it as you go).
5. SAVE this precious document and PRINT it. Keep it somewhere visible and refer to it every day.

Some tips when adding tasks to your Catch Up Plan:

• Be realistic. Consider the time that you have free each day and plan accordingly. That is, don't set yourself an unachievable task of reading 3 chapters and listening to a lecture on Monday if you know that on Monday you are out of the house all day and entertaining friends that night. 
• Try to mix it up a bit. I like to alternate my units as much as possible so I'm not dragged down with a whole week of statistics lectures!
• Read your text one night and listen to the corresponding lecture a day or two day later. This may not work for everyone but it works for me. I find that this helps to retain knowledge. Just as I begin to forget what I've read I listen to the lecture and it is fresh in my mind again. There are studies that show that this type of strategy helps with knowledge retention.
• Allow time to write notes. These are what you should be looking over the night before your exam and while you sit waiting for your exam to begin. Alternatively, if you are given notes by your lecturer then make sure you have these collated.
• Don't bog yourself down with study the night before an exam. Have a read over your notes, look up anything that you are particularly uncertain of, and get an early night. Your brain needs sleep so it can function effectively during your exam. 
• If I have a few exams I like to set myself some light studying for each night after the exams. Just because I've finished one exam doesn't mean I can forget that I have others to study for.

So that's the way I roll and it's worked for me so far. If you have other ways of catching up or some suggested improvements for this method then I'd love to hear from you. I'm always looking for ways to improve my study habits.

Bye for now!