Taking a Test

When the moment comes to taking tests, it could feel overwhelming or distracting and it feels like it could be impossible to finish. These are some helpful tips to help allow the test taking experience to be easier. Studying for the exam is needed whether or not one follows any of these tips, but these tips can help students feel at ease.

1. Look before you Write - Before you answer any questions, look over the whole exam. See what questions you already know and what questions you might struggle with. You can also see which questions might take up the most time.
2. Come back later - If you reach a question that you are stuck on, or have difficulty trying to word the answer, step away from it and move on to a question that is easier to answer. When you come back to the question, you might have a fresh view on it and be able to come up with a suitable answer. You might even find the answer in another part of the test.
3. Look over test before pencil goes down - Even if you've finished every question, you should recheck the answers, not only to be sure the questions are answered, but also that the answers are answered to your satisfaction. For short answers and essays, you can reread it and see if there is room for improvement.
4. Save extra credit for last - Extra credit is there as a boost to improve the score of a test, but you should not use up your test time to try and answer them unless you are comfortable with the answers you gave on the test. You do not lose points for leaving the extra credit question wrong or blank.

A Few Tips for Studying

This week, I will give out some tips that can be useful in studying for test or exams. Now, these tips do not guarantee a passing grade for EVERY exam, but these can help you in the studying process and increase the chances in passing.

• Do not study for too many hours all at once.Studying is like eating. Too much all at once will fill your mind with too much information and it can be overwhelming and information can be buried under information. Studying some information an hour or so at a time can give your mind the chance to process information and you can go back to study another aspect of the lesson.
• Create the Study Space- Find a place where there are very few distractions.  Creating a study space can help associate work and study to the specific area and creates the mind set for studying.
• Know how you study- Whether it is reading out loud, taking small notes, reading the study questions, etc, use these to study for exams.
• Using Flashcards- While you might have all the notes needed to study for a test, flashcards are useful in breaking up the notes in an easy to read manner. You can use them to create questions on one side and answers on the back so you can figure out the answer on your own. Or to memorize definitions of concepts terms.
• Studying with Someone- Whether studying with a tutor or with a fellow classmate, group studying is very helpful. People of the group can ask or discuss content of the lessons with one another and ask each other anything that could be confusing.

Dodging Stress

While the first post involved dealing with stress, these are methods on avoiding stress altogether...to a point. While stress is inevitable in college, there are ways to try and minimize encountering it.

• Organize your Work-Be sure that you are able to understand the notes that you have written down and that you have all your papers of previous works or tests. If not, it will become difficult to study for exams or use the notes to complete assignments.
• Schedule time for work- You should schedule time for work and keep to the schedule. If you don't schedule ahead of time, you might forget to do your work or lose track of time.
• Ask for help ahead of time- If you are confused about a certain lesson, and you can't figure it out on your own, it is best you ask for help immediately. Do not be afraid to ask questions in class. You could get help from a tutor, a fellow classmate, or the professor. If you put it off, the next lessons might become even more confusing, making the course very aggravating.
• Prioritize your work- Before you start your work, you should take a step back and see what work will require higher priority. Will it be writing a paper or studying for a test? Just observe what might require more time, or more energy. This does not mean that you should ignore your other projects. It just means you should see what you think needs attention first (and remember, you do not need to totally complete one project at a time. You can always pause and go back to it later).
• Don't linger on your shortcomings- There's a chance that you might not get the grade that you were striving for on a project, exam, or assignment. However, lingering on your faults will cause you to doubt yourself and your abilities in school. Try to see where you had issues and try to correct them if you are able. Learn from your drawbacks and use it as an opportunity to avoid making the same mistake next time.

Best the Stress

Without a doubt, stress is a guaranteed companion for all college students. Classes are very demanding and some assignments can feel impossible to accomplish. These are methods on how to relieve stress, not avoid stress. Here are a few tips that can be used to help decompress the stress:

• Relaxation Exercises- When thinking of how difficult the work is, sometimes it is best just to stop and take deep breaths. Just empty your mind of all the craziness in school and give yourself a few minutes of relaxation. Then give yourself time to organize your thoughts.
• Listen to Your Favorite Music- Listening to music is a way of momentarily taking your mind of the over whelming assignment and allowing you to listen to a pleasant sound to your ears. It gives you a break from the project, decreasing stress.
• Talk/Write it out- Keeping things bottled up is not considered healthy, and it causes an increase in stress. If you have someone who you feel you can talk to, a friend or perhaps a family member, and you know they are willing to listen to you, just talk to them about the stress in school. Or if you have a journal, write down your emotions, without a care in the world. Either way, some outlet can greatly decrease your stress.
• Exercise- Exercising is a healthy way to relieve tension. It is good for your heart and gives another outlet in stress relief.
• Come back Later- When your doing an assignment that has taken up a lot of time and you feel like you cannot finish it, just take a break from it for a while. You could take a break from working altogether. Or you could work on another project, whether it is doing laundry, or work on an assignment in another course. Doing another project entirely can allow you to set aside the stress of the assignment and when you return to it, you could possibly have a better view on how to accomplish the task.

Overview

College is a very exciting time in a student's life. It is a new chapter, and could involve many new challenges. However, there will be times where the courses will sometimes feel over whelming. This blog will provide a number of different tips on helping students get through college with less stress. This blog will also give suggestions that students can use to get through their classes, such as how to study for a test or finishing a long term project. Or even help students find places to join sports, clubs, applications for a job, etc. Hopefully these suggestions will help students who are struggling at LVC.