Study Smart and Stress Less: 4 Fail-Safe Tips

When it comes to tests and exams, working hard is important: there is no magic memory-formula that can replace time and effort. But you can save yourself a lot of time and energy—precious resources in university—by applying a little strategy to your study sessions.

1) An apple a day keeps the doctor away: Some weekly R&R (review & revision) goes a long way to making crunch-time studying far less daunting. If you take notes on a laptop, copy them out by hand after class, rephrasing tricky sections in your own words to process them more deeply. This way, material from the beginning of term will stay fresher, and you won't lose time deciphering undated, illegible notes.

2) The best way to learn is to teach: Joining your school's homework help desk or volunteer-tutoring program is a great way to work in regular study time. Having to answer others' questions will force you to work through details, rehearse facts and processes, learn to explain material in more than one way, and entrench it into your memory.

3) Choose the right study space: Do you work best alone or with a study partner? Does it help you to do something mindless with your hands, like shuffling cards or bouncing a yo-yo? Are you a visual learner, auditory, kinesthetic, or a mix? Do you need some neutral background noise, or do you work best in silence? Do you prefer to study standing up or sitting down? Ask yourself these questions, determine the answers, and then stake out a study space that provides for your needs and preferences.

4) One Thing at a Time: Obvious, but critical. You can only plan so far ahead before you overload yourself with information. Prioritize, strategize, and get'er done—one thing at a time.

Brought to you by Canadian Mennonite University