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htmlPlan Your Time Wisely As exams approach, give yourself ample time in which to study - if possible, spr ead this time over 2-3 days. o Set aside portions of your day as 'study blocks' - 2-3 hours of concentr ated study time. o Arrange for study blocks to occur during your peak concentration hours ( i.e., if you do your best work in the morning, schedule a study block after brea kfast). o Intersperse study blocks with other activities such as errands, coffee b reaks with friends, exercise, etcetera. State-Specific Learning Current research shows that information is locked into the state of consciousnes s in which it was learned. What does this mean? It means that the mood, or state we are in when we study is the mood or state we should be in during exam time s o as to best remember the information studied. While studying Try to create a study environment that will be similar to the environment in whi ch you will take your test. This usually means a quiet environment with few dist ractions (no TV, no radio, etc.). If you plan to be well-rested and mentally alert during the actual exam, make su re that you are well-rested and mentally alert while studying for the exam. Since exercise has proven to be effective in heightening concentration levels an d performance, plan to exercise both before studying and before the exam. Pitfalls of Perfectionism Perfectionists tend to have unrealistically high expectations of themselves and often establish personal goals that are virtually impossible to achieve. Fears o f failure to achieve these goals and expectations can sometimes lead to mental a nd emotional paralysis. During exams, it is not uncommon for students to fall into the pitfall of perfec tionism. How many times have you heard yourself or others say, "I have to make a n A on this exam!" While at times, this statement seems achievable and motivatin g, at other times it can be destructive and self-defeating. Fearing that one can not make that A on an exam might actually lead some students to procrastinate on studying, or suffer from panic-attacks come exam time - events that will probab ly cause these students' fears to come true. Rather than stumble into the pitfalls of perfectionism, approach exam time with an attitude of well-prepared optimism: Prior to the exam, schedule your study time wisely and make good use of the time you set aside. As you enter into the exam room, say to yourself, "I am well-prepared for this t est and will do the very best that I can on this exam." Saying this to yourself several times will not only help to raise your confidence, but will also help ca lm your pre-exam nerves. Once you have turned the test in to the professor, forget about it and leave the room feeling relieved that it's over, and proud that you performed at the best of your ability. Avoid Exam-Time Exhaustion No matter how much we do to prevent it, exams are almost always going to be acco mpanied by stress. Therefore, the best thing to do is to manage the stress and m ake sure that it does not break down your physical, mental or emotional health. Some healthy tips to get you through exam time: Eat a nutritious, well-balanced diet - your body will need those extra vitamins and minerals. Eat at least three meals each day; and moderate your intake of fat , sugar, alcohol and caffeine. Get plenty of sleep and try to make your sleeping patterns as regular as possibl e. Exercise! After sitting in the library or at your desk for long periods of time, exercise will give you that extra boost of energy and liveliness.

 Practice some relaxation techniques: o Do Diaphragmatic breathing - close your eyes; breathe in and out slowly and completely; placing your hands on your abdomen, concentrate on it expanding as you breathe in and contracting as you breathe out. o Laughter - proven to have a physiological calming effect; encourage laug hter by reading a funny book, watching a comedy on TV or at the movies, joking w ith friends, etcetera. o Massage therapy - visit the Campus Health Service to make an appointment with the massage therapist. Make time for personal time. Doing an activity that you enjoy will improve your mood and will help you return to your studies feeling refreshed and relaxed.

1. Read your notes and seek answers to questions. Be as active in your reading a s possible, eg talk to yourself, walk around the room (even though people may gi ve you funny looks), trying to recollect what you have learned. 2. When you feel you have understood and can remember what you have read, close up your notes. 3. Now actively recall what you've just been reading, asking again the same ques tions without looking at your notes, until you have exhausted your recall of the whole topic you've been revising. Whilst doing so write down what you have reca lled in brief notes on a card or a sheet of paper. It may help you to have the q uestion written down to refer to in the recalling process. 4. Check the original notes with the new ones. Have you recalled all the answers to the questions you were asking? If yes, you have created a master card, which you can use to re-revise without having to consult the original lengthier notes . 5. If no Re-read you original notes as in Step one above, looking particularly f or those points you originally missed. Repeat Steps two to four above. Writing o ut all the points again, not just those missed the first time : by doing so, you will still be treating the topic as a whole and improving your recall on the wh ole topic. This may appear time consuming and cumbersome but it is not. It ensures a high d egree of recall which reading a lot of notes does not do.