By: Sydney McDaniel

As we roll around to the middle of the semester, most or all your classes might have a cumulative exam of what you have learned so far this semester. If you think this is one of the most dreaded times in a college semester, you are not alone. Many college students are stressing about how to properly prepare for exams of this size. A lot of us have not learned how to efficiently study. The change from studying for and exam in college and a test in high school is drastically different. With multiple distractions around you and technology at your fingertips, it’s really hard to have a productive study session. 

Something that has helped me is making sure I set aside a lot of time. Make sure you have plenty of time to prepare for upcoming exams. Start with 30-45 mins a day reviewing material until it gets closer to the exam date. Increase your study time each day. Start with material you are the most unfamiliar with. Really work to understand what you find the most difficult until you feel comfortable with what you are reviewing. Once you feel confident move onto the next challenging topic and gradually familiarize yourself with it. If you have difficulty maintaining focus, try the 30-5 rule. Put all distractions out of reach and really focus for 30 mins on your studies, after 30 minutes is up take 5 minutes away from your study area. Walk around, go get a snack, or get on your phone during your 5-minute break, then go back to study for another 30 minutes. After a while you won’t even be looking at the time anymore and studying for a long period of time won’t seem as dreadful. 

Taking the time to form good study habits will not only benefit you now, but in the future as well. As you may know by now, college is full of exams and learning how to effectively prepare for them will lead you to success.