The Last Minute Student

My Test is Tomorrow. What do I do????? 


If you are reading this then you probably do not have much time. For this reason I will keep this short. Most advice that you will get from parents or teachers suggest how ineffective cramming is. Instead they stress frequent and consistent review. 


I think by the time you are cramming, consistent and frequent review are a little late to be dreaming about.  


The first thing you need to realize is that cramming is successful--well at least more successful than doing nothing at all. So take a short time--and I do mean short (since you have work to do)--to think about the following.


Points to consider:

1. Time is a factor when cramming but your concentration is limited. Use every minute you have but work no more than 50 minutes without taking a 10 minute break. For example: study from 4 to 4:50, then 5 to 5:50 etc. 
2. Every minute you study is likely one more mark.
3. Thinking about time you have lost or thinking that you should have started earlier is a waste of time.
4. You will feel stress, but put it outside of yourself. Be detached from your emotions. You study best when you are calm.
5. You need at least 3-5 hours to get one cycle of REM sleep. REM sleep is necessary for memory storage. You need that minimum of sleep.
6. Taking notes is superior to reading your notes.
7. You remember best when you use more than one of your senses. 

Best Cramming Study in Five Steps:

1. Make notes of your textbook or notes of your notebook notes you have.
2. When done. Make notes of those notes but shorter.
3. When done make notes of those shorter notes in keywords and phrases.
4. Pretend to teach someone out loud from the shortest set of notes. If you forget what your short note words or phrases are standing for--go back and read the originals.
5. If possible teach a friend or parent--what you teach you will remember best.

Good Luck...more to come later on cramming, writing essays, and surviving school.