5 TIPS: STUDY FOR THE EXAMNS

1. Make sure you are studying in a clean, quiet and orderly room. This may necessitate leaving your house. Public libraries are usually a good option. Be aware that food is likely not allowed and you will be expected to keep the silence.
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   Turn on the light! Studying in a dark room is not recommended. Add lamps at night, or in the daytime, open the window coverings(open the window a little, too). People tend to study and focus better in a brighter, oxygenated room with little noise.
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   Turn the TV off. Some people like to have the TV on quietly in the background. This can cut both ways in that it can distract you from time to time, but also can help you to continue studying. It may be beneficial to begin studying with the TV on in the background, and then turning it off once you're under way. The combination of visual and audio stimuli will likely reduce your studying performance, as it makes it more difficult for your brain to prioritize information acquisition (rapidly swapping attention between studying and watching TV).
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   Decide if music is right for you. Music's effect on memory performance varies between individuals. Some studies have found music to aid the memory performance of individuals with ADD/ADHD, while reducing it in individuals without the disorder. Music can be motivating (making studying more enjoyable) while still detracting from memory performance. You must determine whether you're better off with or without it. If you cannot bring yourself to study without music, it may be worth the minor negative effect it can have on memory.
   • If you absolutely must listen to music, find instrumental music so that the words in the music don't interfere with your studying.
   • The idea that listening to Mozart or classical music makes you smarter or keeps information in your brain, by the way: total myth.
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   Get plenty of rest the night before. Children in elementary school require on average 10-11 hours of sleep for optimal performance, while adolescents in high school require between 8-10 hours of sleep on average. Poor sleep has been found to accumulate (referred to as "Sleep debt"); in order to make up for prolonged poor sleep habits, several weeks of daily optimal sleep may be required to return to optimal performance.
   • Don't consume caffeine, or any other stimulating substance (i.e Ritalin) any less than 5-6 hours prior to sleeping. Such substances reduce the efficiency of sleep, meaning that even with sufficient sleep time, you may not feel well rested upon waking.