Leah Ezrow

Create a Schedule

Creating a schedule is an easy way to ensure that you are managing your time effectively. It can help break up an overwhelming amount of tasks in a more manageable way that makes you feel like you are in control, while also preventing procrastination. Plus, crossing off tasks that you finish can give you a sense of satisfaction that motivates you to keep studying. When planning out a schedule, it is important to remember to include breaks! Breaks are proven to help students retain knowledge better while studying for long periods of time. Without breaks, it makes it harder to remember information.

Get Enough Sleep

Sleeping not only improves the quality and retention of studying, but sleep is also vital in helping memories form (you will need memories in order to retain the information that you study). Staying up super late to cram may seem like a good idea at the moment, but remember that sleep deprivation creates elevated stress levels and might hinder your performance on the actual test. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that teenagers get at least 8 hours of sleep per night (CDC, 2020).

Eat Healthily

Eating foods with vitamins and minerals gives you energy, whereas junk food actually lowers your energy. There are also some foods that have been proven to relieve stress, such as dark chocolate, cashews, oatmeal, berries, and avocados (Glassman, 2014). Additionally, it is important to drink water. When you are hydrated, every part of your body, especially your brain as it is 73% water, works better (Mitchell, 1945). Plus, drinking water also prevents headaches, which is often a concern after staring at a Chromebook screen or tiny text for a long time.

Get Some Exercise

It may be hard to find time to exercise when focusing on studying, but it is beneficial to your stress levels and the quality of your studying. Exercising gives you energy, helps you focus, releases endorphins that improve your overall mood, increases productivity, and is scientifically proven to lower stress. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America says that even a 10-minute walk may relieve as much stress as 45-minutes of rigorous exercise (ADAA, 2021).

Study with a Friend

Studying with other people can be beneficial for a couple of reasons; one is that teaching and helping each other with content that is on the final will help you know the material even better. Also, laughter is proven to reduce stress, so if you have the chance, it may be a good idea to try studying with a friend.

Sources

ADAA. "Exercise for Stress and Anxiety." Anxiety & Depression Association of America, ADAA, 13 Mar. 2021, adaa.org/living-with-anxiety/managing-anxiety/exercise-stress-and-anxiety. Accessed 12 Jan. 2022.

CDC. "Sleep in Middle and High School Students." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 10 Sept. 2020, www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/features/students-sleep.htm. Accessed 12 Jan. 2022.

Glassman, Keri. "13 Foods That Fight Stress." Prevention, Hearst Magazine Media, 22 May 2014, www.prevention.com/life/a20444221/13-healthy-foods-that-reduce-stress-and-depression/. Accessed 12 Jan. 2022.

Mitchell, H. H. "The Chemical Composition of the Adult Human Body and Its Bearing on the Biochemistry of Growth." Journal of Biological Chemistry, 1 May 1945.

O'Conner, Rachel. "6 Healthy Ways to Reduce Stress during Final Exams." Active Minds, 3 Dec. 2018, www.activeminds.org/blog/6-healthy-ways-to-reduce-stress-during-final-exams/. Accessed 12 Jan. 2022.