Wake up, work hard, eat healthy, be happy, repeat.

Hello, hi there. Recently I made a post about what to do the day of your exam and it’s still getting notes which is amazing. Thank you all. So now, please enjoy these realistic tips for the night before your exam that do not involve perfum, gum, or cramming. Please don’t cram.

Get a good night’s sleep. I know that for many of us this is a major challenge because we deal with insomnia or anxiety disorders that keep us awake. Try taking a warm bath in Epsom salts. Stay in the tub until you break a sweat. Pick your salts wisely because some of them are more energizing (i.e lavender salts are more energizing I have found).

If you are having trouble sleeping because of tension in your neck/back, try to relieve the tension by rolling out your muscles on the floor, or conciously tensing them up for about 10-20 seconds before slowing releasing. The Epsom salt bath really helps with any sort of tension. I have chronic nerve pain from a car accident and it’s one of the few things that help me that is more holistic.

Don’t shy away from melatonin. It works wonders and you won’t feel “hung over” in the morning like you may with Z-Quil. They have melatonin gummies too!

Try lowering your body temperature. Sleep naked. It’s life changing. If you can’t sleep naked (because you live in a dorm) still do your best to keep it cool. Our bodies get tired when their temps are lower.

Additionally, do not cram for any exam. The night before your exam is not the time to be learning any new material. We are way past that. Gently refresh the material that you already know; however, do focus on items you may struggle with. Remember, althetes don’t go crazy hard the day before a game - treat your brain the same way; no heavy lifting.

You may take this time to rewrite your notes. It’s a simple act that can definitely help you to remember.

Try teaching the material to someone else, or if no one else is available - stand in the mirror and give your own personal TedTalk on the subject. Hey, if it works for Sims, right? Remember that if you can teach the material, you know it. Reiterating in your own words is so helpful.

This should go without saying, but eat a good dinner.

Use the “Match,” “Test,” and “Spell” functions on Quizlet. Very helpful.

Have I said do not cram yet?

Lay out your clothes for the morning. The fewer decisions the better.

You’re going to want to wake up with enough time to review your study materials a couple more times, get ready for the day, and leave for the exam early (so that you have time to review when you get there and to ensure you are on time!) So set your alarm in advance.

Make sure that you set out your blue book, calculator, etc. so that you are prepared for the exam tomorrow and you aren’t sprinting across campus to find somewhere that sells blue books.

Triple check that alarm.

Try to limit your use of electronics 30 minutes before you need to fall asleep. I know that isn’t always reasonable though. Just make sure your phone is plugged in so that it is well charged and ON when you need that alarm to go off.

Drink some water.

Don’t drink any coffee or other caffeinated beverage/over induldge in nicotine/or take your *prescription!!!* adderall after 8 PM. Really for the Adderall don’t take it after like 5:30. You will be up all night long, my friend.

Okay last time: do not cram for any exam. That’s like over extertion for your brain and it will take you time to recover. If you continuously pull all nighters to cram you will crash and burn eventually. So just start early on your study plan. You can make time for it, I promise.

Hi guys! I wanted to share with you my personal study playlist. Hope this helps you to survive finals week! Good luck! 

listen here

Love Is A Laserquest- Arctic Monkeys 

Shot At The Night- The Killers

Strange Things Will Happen- Radio Dept.

Let Me In- Grouplove

Wait- M83

No.1 Party Anthem- Arctic Monkeys

Diet Mountain Dew- Lana Del Rey

Weeds- Marina And The Diamonds

Between Me And You- Brandon Flowers

Cornerstone- Arctic Monkeys

Crossfire- Brandon Flowers

Knee Socks- Arctic Monkeys

Reptilia- The Strokes

Let Me Finish- Drowners

On The Top Of The World- Imagine Dragons

Sweater Weather- The Neighbourhood

Stuck On The Puzzle- Alex Turner

1. start studying a week before every quiz/test. seriously.

2. watch youtube videos/ted talks on the topics you are learning about.

3. get lots of sleep! sleep helps you process the day’s events, including what you learned.

4. write out your notes. it’s proven that handwritten notes help you learn better than typed out notes.

5. don’t just read what your professor gives you. find academic journals, books, etc. that correspond with your subjects.

6. read the news! especially in the social sciences/humanities, connecting concepts with current events helps you understand and process more easily.

7. exercise! this doesn’t have to be going on runs or lifting weights, it could even just be going for a 20 minute walk. just get your blood pumping, it’ll help you focus.

8. study at your desk. it may be tempting to study in bed, but your brain connects your bed with sleep, so you’ll get tired more quickly.

9. reviewing notes doesn’t have to be something you sit down and do for an hour. skim through them and test your memory while eating breakfast!

10. expand your study time throughout the day to avoid burnout. for example, rather than studying for 5 hours straight, study for an hour here and there in between your activities.

11. make your notes organized and easy to read, but not distracting. bright colors and flashy notes may seem better, but can sometimes distract from the purpose of the notes.

12. use apps such as quizlet. this way, you can go through definitions while waiting in lines or walking to class.

13. it’s more important to know concepts rather than facts. for example, you should be able to take what you know and apply it to different situations, not just the situation the textbook gives you.

14. just because the professor doesn’t require you to read textbook, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. it helps explain concepts in a different way than your professor, and a lot of times hearing two different explanations for the same concept helps you understand it.

15. read in advance. read the textbook before your professor begins going over the chapter, so when he/she does, you can easily follow what they are saying.

16. do any extra credit work that comes your way. even if you don’t need the extra boost now, you might later.

17. go to class!! if you always skip class and show up at office hours completely lost on the concepts, they’ll laugh in your face. they’ll take you 100x more seriously if you show up.

18. however, if you are sick, take a day off. it’s more beneficial to you in the long run. 

19. learn how to say “no”. if you have an 8 am the next day, don’t stay out until midnight with your friends. 

this also applies to high school in a lot of ways, esp in organization and involvement

I read this book by cal newport called “how to win at college” in prep for my freshman year & u should definitely read it yourself because there are lots of important points i don’t cover in this post, but if you don’t want to, this is my summary of what I think were the most important points he made. 

STUDY HARD, BUT YOUR GRADES DON’T MEAN AS MUCH AS WHAT YOU LEARN OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM. he prioritizes getting vital experiences such as

- joining a club and eventually taking responsibility in it and becoming a leader

- apply for scholarships every year (he said 10 a year) 

- volunteer, but not for your resume. do it to learn and become a better person. 

- get involved in research, and get involved in your major department (like go to the events and lectures, even if they aren’t mandatory)

- write outside of class regularly because writing is super important (example- submit to your school newspaper) 

STAY ORGANIZED AND ON TOP OF YOUR SHIT

- he really really REALLY emphasizes not procrastinating and studying / starting papers well in advance of deadlines. his rules are to 

- - >start long term projects immediately after they are assigned and continue to work on them by following a reasonable schedule (he says to finish early, revise, then finish again), 

- - > take 3 days to write shorter papers (aka you have abt 2 weeks to work on them and they range from 2-15ish pages) (aka make preparations pre writing, then write a rough draft on the first day, revise and focus your writing on the second day (make sure your arguments are very clear!), and polish your paper on the third day), and

- - >take 2 weeks to study for an exam. study in shorter blocks during the first week, like maybe an hour or so each day. over the weekend, add more hours. the few days before the test, study in 2-3 hour chunks to really cement the already familiar information. 

- get a filing cabinet for your papers instead of just piling them on your desk and having to search for them later. 

- have a HIGH QUALITY notebook and a folder for each class (or whatever stationery keeps you organized) and keep all your folders/notebooks/binders neat and organized. 

- empty your inbox and organize your emails 

- schedule your free time- aka have specific times that you choose to relax and spend with friends rather than unintentionally relaxing during work time, or worrying about work during relaxation time. 

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

- you NEED sleep, you NEED healthy food, and you NEED exercise. you really shouldn’t put anything ahead of these things. 

- NEVER pull an all nighter. if you’re studying ahead of time, this should be easy. all nighters aren’t glamorous, they’re unproductive, really stressful, and unhealthy

- keep in touch with old friends, and remember to call your mom

- make sure to spend time with new friends and take care of them. be there for your friends. 

- keep your room neat and make your bed!!