Passing your exams with flying colors is not a simple task, but it is totally possible to achieve high grades in your exams at colleges. If you know some techniques to make studying for your exams more effective, this task becomes even simpler. While in college, it’s essential to learn effective study techniques so you can learn how to study effectively for exams in a short time period. Students are always limited for time, between endless college classes and trying to maintain a social life. By learning how to study effectively, you’ll still achieve the grades you desire while enjoying a balanced and stress-free life.

Plan your study time

The best way to commit to your studies is to plan your revision time for your exams and tests in advance. The amount of time you’ll need to revise will vary from person to person, but in general, you’ll want to start revising a good few weeks in advance of any big exam or test. By planning your timetable, you’ll save the risk of last-minute cramming. Thirty minutes to an hour of studying a day will feel much more manageable than having to do everything over two or three days before the exam. You’ll also find your study sessions are less pressured and more enjoyable and you’ll be able to pay attention during the whole time instead of feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.

Learning style

Not everyone has the same learning and retention style, so it’s important to acknowledge how you learn best and remember information before you start your revision session. There are many different techniques available for revising, including visual learning and simply highlighting or underlining key facts you want to remember. Some people find they retain information by writing it out over and over again. The amount of time you study for is less important than finding effective studying methods that work for you. There’s no point spending ten hours reading a study guide if you would learn far more by watching two hours of video about the topic.

Free up some extra time

During the exam period in college, you’ll need to make some sacrifices in order to fit all of your required study time in. While it can feel frustrating at the time, following your exams you’ll usually have a break from college to look forward to. Annabelle Aston, an expert of PapersOwl states; “Exams are a special period of time for any student when all of the possible ways to gain extra time should be utilized. The more time you save, the more time you have to revise all of the materials.” By saving time on other activities, and reducing your other obligations for a couple of weeks, you’ll have plenty of time to practice and prepare yourself for your upcoming exams.

Find a good place to study

Set yourself up for success by finding a quiet and distraction-free place to study. While some people enjoy studying in coffee shops or busy libraries, most people are better off revising in silence in their dorm or a quiet corner of the library. The most important thing is to be able to concentrate fully and not have other people around who will distract you or encourage you to stop what you are doing. Mobile phones and social media are another huge distraction, so try to put yours away in a drawer or in another room while you’re focusing. Schedule yourself a short break each hour where you can scroll on your phone for a few minutes and then put it away again until you're finished.

Reward yourself

When completing any unpleasant task or activity in life, it’s good to reward yourself for your hard work. Give yourself a break after each hour or so of studying to do something you enjoy, and every couple of days of studying should involve a bigger reward. This could be a night out with your friends or a trip to the mall, but research shows that having something to look forward to will keep you more motivated. Any activity that you’ll look forward to will work, so keep a calendar where your next treat or day off is clearly marked, so you have something to aim towards each day when you start working.

Ask for help if you need it

Before you finish your final classes before a big exam, make sure your notes are all complete and up to date before leaving your classroom. Once you’ve had your final classes and lectures with professors, it can be difficult to get in touch with them once the busy exam season begins. Therefore, help yourself achieve academic success and ask any questions you have before leaving class. While it can be daunting to ask something that you may feel is a silly question, you’ll feel much better for knowing the answer than sitting at home worrying about it while you’re revising your notes.

Knowing the techniques to help you study more effectively will bring you even more success in your studies moving forward. While exams are a difficult time for even the best students, by preparing ahead and planning a study schedule for yourself, you’ll find this period of time much less stressful and daunting once you find effective study skills that work for you. Once your exams are over, make sure you reward yourself for all of your hard work and know that there’s nothing you can do to change the results once your exam is finished.