My AP physics teacher would occasionally give us advice about how to do better in the class, and one thing he told us was a method he used in college for studying for and taking tests. The first thing to do is study to your heart’s content up until 48 hours before the test. Then you stop. For the next 48 hours you do not study, you do not think about the material. Do something else. Then, in the hour or so before the test, you go over the material and see what you do and do not know. Then, when you take the test, you go in, prop your feet up, stick a lollipop in your mouth and take the test.
The method behind the madness is this. According to the information he had, the human brain takes about 48 hours to assimilate things. So if you stop studying 48 hours before the test, your brain will be able to assimilate all the information. When you go through the information to see what you don’t know, you are setting yourself up to be able to skip the questions you know you don’t know so that you can get to the ones you do know. Then if you have time afterwards you can go back to the trickier questions. The final piece of advice you don’t have to follow exactly, the principal is to be relaxed. When you are freaking out you are going to forget things. If you are relaxed you will be able to remember all the things that you know. Freak out while you are studying if you want, worry after if you want, but be calm during the test and you will do better on it.
3 comments:
I find this test method effective. While I usually don't end up doing most of my studying until a day or possibly even two before the test, the material I studied first is what I remember most. What I study first I have the most patience for since I have time to pace myself. It is best to relax in the end. By the time the test comes you know what you know and there is nothing that can be done anymore. Without stressing, we can all think more clearly and possibly reason out an answer. Trying to study ten minutes before the test just mixes all the information together.
I like this method! I usually don't have the time, or don't make enough time in my week to study 48 hours prior to a test but I think I'll try it for my test Thursday night! I agree that we should relax. Whenever I freak out my mind goes blank and I get lost!
i'm intrigued by this method, but also a little hesitant... have you found it to work better than studying up until the test?
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