How to make correct plans to study?

Quietness and written notes are the keys, at least for me. I once had a really big police exam coming up and i needed peace and quiet. Not so, at my house. Two teenage granddaughters kept the music going 24/7. I searched and searched for quietness and it was not to be found in my house. I then had a brainstorm of an idea….......my car!

I gathered my notes and books and headed for my Toyota. Rolled up all the windows, a fresh cup of hot coffee and I was on my way to studying.

Preparation is also the key to a successful study time.

I am proud to say I made a 92 on that particular test and the study time and quietness were added to my success.

If you get distracted by things like the computer, set yourself a certain amount of time away from the computer to study and then reward yourself with a computer break at intervals.

I find that highlighting and repetition help me study notes.

Start early. Personally, I begin studying 8 weeks before the exam week. Do a bit each day. Small bites! Reward yourself after studying. If I study for X amount of time, go watch a tv show you enjoy or some activity you like.

I found one key point was to write down with a pen/pencil and paper everything I needed to know. In point from if needed. Something about reading something and then writing it down reinforces the memory for me. I also put everything on flash cards. I can’t have regular music on but classical music really helps.

I once studied from beginning to end a 500 page textbook in one week before going and writing the exam. I got 80%.

I usually sits down in my “office”, put on some classical music to get in the mood for studying and just read the texts. Then I gather one or two of my study group friends over a coup of coffee or a pint, and talk about what I have read. The gain for me there is that in addition to being able to ask about the things that are unclear for, I also gain a way to learn how to express my knowledge in a way that others will understand. Being able to communicate your knowledge is vital on an exam, so I try to do that as much as I can :)

You have to be able to focus on your work. You can use mind techniques to achieve focus, or you can arrange your environment to support focus.

Be interested. If you’re not interested, you’ll keep nodding off. You’ve got to find a way to make yourself interested. Ask questions. See if the material answers your question. You need a way to engage yourself in the material, and if you do, you will both achieve focus and stay interested.