Let’s be honest, we all do a bit of late-night cramming before an exam, or a test, or an essay… Students are elite procrastinators, so if it isn’t the due date, the work won’t be getting done. But this then leads to an inevitable massive stress 24 hours before the due date. However, fear not! Here are some top tips on how to get the most out of your limited time.
Before we talk about getting the knowledge, it should be said that you need to take care of yourself too. Exams and assessments are important, of course, but you should be sure to drink lots of water and give yourself breaks during this process. You don’t want to overwork yourself and burn out before the exam. That said, here is how to cram effectively before an exam.
Topics
First thing’s first, you need to organise your work into topics. The night before your exam is not the time to be honing down on intricate details. So, you need to write down the big pillars of knowledge. This could be periods of time, significant people, basic subjects, etc.
Making a list of these topics will give you a vague overview of what you need to cover. It can also stand as revision for you, as you can test yourself on how many ‘pillars’ or topics you can recall by memory.
Find Holes In Your Knowledge
There is no point in going over work that you already know you can recall easily during a cramming session. You really need to use your limited time wisely and try to go over the things that you are less confident with.
You can do this by creating a mind map, list or bullet points of knowledge you need to revise. Then, quickly go over these points and then create one or two additional lines or bullet points that give you extra information on the topic.
The more you read over these points, the harder your brain will try to reinforce the information. If you are really finding this information hard to digest, you can try to be silly with it. Turn the information into a song, or an acrostic poem, something that is so silly it will stick in your mind.
Flashcards
Another great way to test yourself quickly is through flashcards. If you are more of a physical leaner, you can create actual flashcards. Write a question on one side and the answer on the flip side.
If you have a friend, they can quiz you, or you can simply do it yourself. This is a great way to figure out where the holes in your knowledge are without doing a whole past paper.
If you want something easier, you can always use Quizlet. Many students will be fluent in Quizlet as it is a great revision tool. This free site allows you to create online flashcards and do the exact same thing that real flashcards would do. For those wondering how to cram before exams, Flashcards really are a must.
YouTube
YouTube can be one of your greatest cramming tools when you need some punchy information. You are not the first person to do your subject and you won’t be the last, so why not take some tips from those who have come before you.
If you type in something relating to your subject knowledge, there will be hundreds of videos that pop up. That is the beauty of YouTube. There is something about everything. In keeping with a good video, most of them have punchy blocks of information that you can then add to your flashcards or mind maps, etc.
Related: Helpful Habits To Make Your Uni Deadlines Easier
