preparing yourself academically preparing yourself mentally start studying early stay on top of...
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Preparing yourselfacademically
Preparing yourself mentally
Start studying early
Stay on top of reading and lecture
Organize your information and yourself
Find out beforehand the test focus and format
Rehearse for the test’s questions and its time of day and duration
Get psyched up, but not psyched out
Cram systematically Practice relaxation techniques
MANAGING TEST ANXIETY
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Preparing yourselfacademically
Preparing yourself mentally
Start studying early
Stay on top of reading and lecture
Organize your information and yourself
Find out beforehand the test focus and format
Rehearse for the test’s place, time and duration
Get psyched up, but not psyched out
Cram systematically Practice relaxation techniques
Start studying early
The “diligent” student (= 4.0 GPA dork)
starts studying for the final exam on the first of the 15 weeks
of a semester (= August, 2008).
your studying over the whole semester:
You forget material if you don’t rehearse and
review it often and continuously.
Information need periods of time
to consolidate or
to “gel” in your memory.
It’s human natureto underestimate
the amount of time neededfor a project,
so start ridiculously early giving yourself
a luxurious cushion of time.
Be academically ready
have a complete set of notes
have the reading done
Organize• Your information
– reading– handouts– lecture notes– study guides
• Yourself– Logistically– Physically
BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER: THE 3-STEP SYSTEM FOR LEARNING
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The more organized your packing,
the easier it is to find things when you need them.
The more carefully you pack, the more you can fit in
Logistics:have all the necessary
materials ready
Be physically ready:
get a good night's
sleep(take the all-nighter,
IF YOU MUST, 2 nights before)
Sleep is one of the few activities that will not
interfere with learning. In fact, it may help reinforce
what you just studied.
No seeping up, but probably some solidifying
Eat something. This will help avoid low blood
sugar, faintness, and nausea and will give you energy.
Stay away from grease, acidic foods,
and foods high in refined sugar.
“cram” is NOT a 4-letter word?
• Recency (“freshness”) improves memory retrieval– but last-minute acquisition usually does NOT help
memory retention because it’s too haphazard and hurried.
• Less chance for interference from old information
• = last-minute review as opposed to brand-new learning
“cram” IS a 4-letter word?
• Most crammers never get the material past their cramped and tiny short-term memory
• Tends to raise your anxiety level• Tendency to quickly gather specifics which
can then interfere with broader thinking (you can retrieve the individual “trees” but not the “woods”)
Some personalities thrive on stress instead of feeling anxious
“If it weren’t for stress, I’d have no
energy at all”
The “Deadline High”:
Coming up against a tight deadline and meeting it is immensely satisfying.
It can be associated with strong rushes of adrenaline
and you may find that jobs are being unconsciously delayed
precisely to get this rush.
Procrastinators who are “Crisis-Makers”
• They’re proud that they can only get motivated at the last minute.
• They live for the adrenaline rush and life on the edge, such as a procrastination crisis.
• They have a very low boredom threshold.
Chronic responses for Chronic responses for “Crisis-Makers”“Crisis-Makers”
•Too much cortisol hurts thinking. Fatigue, anger, depression
•Weakened immune system against infection
•Ulcers
• Blood pressure and heart rate damage blood vessels
WAITING forWAITING for THE TESTTHE TESTto startto start
Arrive on time (not too early and not too late)
The “Goldilocks” Problem:
NOT TOO MUCH…not too little…
Don't talk to other students just Don't talk to other students just before the test. before the test.
They will almost always They will almost always mention something you don't mention something you don't
know and lower your know and lower your confidenceconfidence..
Allow yourself enough time to Allow yourself enough time to get to the exam without get to the exam without
hurrying. hurrying. Being late can be the first step Being late can be the first step
toward panic.toward panic.
Don't bring your books Don't bring your books to the test. to the test.
Looking at them at the last minute Looking at them at the last minute may only upset you. may only upset you.
If you want to bring something, If you want to bring something, bring a short outline or a set of brief bring a short outline or a set of brief
notes that you know wellnotes that you know well..
Bring a watch so you won't have to worry about the
time.
DURING DURING THE TESTTHE TEST
Decide where to sit
Generally it makes sense to go to the seat where you usually sit,
to take out and “show”
what you learned
in the same place where
you took in and
“got” the information
But you might in this special circumstance switch to a new seat for good reasons such as:
Wanting fewer distractions
moving away from your friends
moving away from windows and hallway doors
Wanting to be in the front row
to get the test faster
to be closer to the professor
to be closer to the board for instructions
Circle or underline key words in questions to
keep you focused