Only 1 week left until your exam and you haven’t even started? No worries, I’ve got you! We’ve all been overburdened by hundreds of assignments and projects that the teachers seem to remember only when the semester is nearing its end. And if that’s not enough, you are also bombarded with presentations just a week before your finals. Well, I’m here to help you manage your time and miraculously pass with good grades in addition to finishing all your assignments and projects.

First of all, let’s take a deep breath. It’s not the end of the world. There’s no need to take too much stress because everyone around you is going through the same thing—you’re not alone. No one has it all figured out, so don’t beat yourself up.

That being said, let's jump right into the juicy stuff. The first thing you have to understand is that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution or formula that’s going to save you. Everyone is built differently; everyone has their way of going through life. We are all unique, and the faster you understand that the easier your life is going to be. Just because your friend starts studying one night before the exam and manages to ace all their courses doesn’t mean that’s also going to work for you. You have to find out what works best for you. Start by asking yourself these questions: do I study better in the morning or at night? What’s the optimal time for me to study? Do I study better in a group or individually? Do I understand concepts better by reading textbooks or by watching informational videos? Does note-taking help me or not?

These are some questions that will help you understand your study method.

You must be thinking “I only have 1 week left, I don’t have time for all of this!” but trust me just taking out one day to organise everything is going to help you out when you start studying. As you don’t have much time left and you have to cover so much, it’s better to be prepared than to start haphazardly and give up halfway through.

Now it’s time to prioritise your tasks. Write down your subjects according to their difficulty level or according to how important it is for your degree and have more weightage in your final grade. Then write down all the topics you have to cover for each subject. You can use those impulsively bought colourful pens that are gathering dust in your drawer. You can make a key such as red marked topics are those that you know nothing about, the yellow ones are 50/50 and the green ones are those that you are confident about (don’t need to panic if all your topics are red marked). This is the sequence you are going to follow: start with the red-marked topics, move to the yellow ones, and go through the green ones last. You should give the most time and energy to the red and yellow-marked topics.

Now I have this little reward system hack I use to get that motivation to study, which I know is the hardest part of this whole process. You have everything planned out, but you just don’t want to start. This hack works for me but I can’t guarantee that this will also work for each one of you. I usually set a time for studying in which I study the best such as from 8 am till 5 or 6 pm, and I tell myself that if I study without distractions this whole time (with short breaks, of course – I’m also human), I can reward myself at night. I can do whatever I want at that time such as order my favourite food, watch a movie or series, hang out with my friends, etc. You can personalise this system according to your study system and trust me this keeps me going when I just want to give up because I know I can watch my k-drama after 6 pm without feeling guilty.

Now that you guys know what to do there’s only one thing left: actually, start studying! Grab your coffee, your favourite stationery, your comfiest chair or sofa, your headphones, and lock in!

Study Smarter, Not Harder

In my second semester, I realized that instead of passively studying and getting bad marks, I needed to learn how to study effectively so I did extensive research and compiled a list of scientifically proven study techniques that are going to save your life (and your grades). It's not necessary to use all these techniques; if one or two work best for you, then just stick to those. So, let’s dig right in without wasting time.

1. Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. It involves breaking work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. Each interval is called a "Pomodoro," named after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer Cirillo used as a university student.

2. SQ3R Method

The SQ3R Method is a reading comprehension method designed to help students read and understand texts more effectively. It stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review.

Steps:

1. Survey: Skim the chapter to get an overview of the content.
2. Question: Turn headings and subheadings into questions.
3. Read: Read the text carefully to answer your questions.
4. Recite: Summarize the material in your own words.
5. Review: Go over your notes and summaries to reinforce learning.

3. Feynman Technique:

Named after the renowned physicist Richard Feynman, this technique involves simplifying complex concepts by teaching them to someone else or writing them down in simple terms. The goal is to identify gaps in your understanding and fill them.

Steps:

1. Choose a concept you want to learn.

2. Teach it or explain it in simple terms, as if to a beginner.

3. Identify any areas where your explanation is lacking.

4. Review the material to fill in the gaps and refine your explanation.

4. Mind Mapping:

Mind mapping is a visual tool for organizing information. It involves creating diagrams that represent concepts and their relationships using branches radiating from a central idea.

Steps:

1. Write the central topic in the center of the page.

2. Draw branches from the central topic to subtopics.

3. Add further branches to detail each subtopic.

4. Use keywords, images, and symbols to enhance memory.

5. Active Recall:

Active recall is a powerful study method that involves actively retrieving information from memory rather than passively reviewing it. This strengthens memory and enhances learning.

Steps:

1. Read a section of your study material.

2. Close the book and write down or recite everything you remember.

3. Check your notes to see what you missed.

4. Repeat the process until you can recall all the information accurately.

6. Spaced Repetition:

Spaced repetition is a technique where information is reviewed at increasing intervals over time. This helps to consolidate knowledge in long-term memory.

Steps:

1. Review new information shortly after learning it.

2. Review it again after a day, then a few days later, then a week later, and so on.

3. Use spaced repetition software or apps like Anki to manage the schedule.

7. Cornell Note-Taking System:

The Cornell method organizes notes into three sections: the main notes, cues, and a summary. This structure aids in effective note-taking and reviewing.

Steps:

1. Divide the page into three sections: a narrow left column for cues, a wider right column for notes, and a bottom section for a summary.

2. During the lecture, take detailed notes in the right column.

3. After the lecture, write key points or questions in the left column.

4. Summarize the notes at the bottom of the page.

5. Review by covering the notes and using the cues to test your recall.

8. Mnemonics:

Mnemonics are memory aids that use patterns, such as acronyms, visual imagery, or rhymes, to help remember information.

9. Leitner System:

The Leitner system is a method of using flashcards to improve retention through spaced repetition. Flashcards are sorted into groups based on how well you know the information.

Steps:

1. Create flashcards with questions on one side and answers on the other.

2. Place all cards in Box 1.

3. If you answer a card correctly, move it to the next box.

4. If you answer incorrectly, move it back to Box 1.

5. Review Box 1 daily, Box 2 every three days, Box 3 weekly, and so on.

10. Interleaved Practice:

Interleaved practice involves mixing different topics or subjects in a single study session rather than focusing on one topic at a time. This approach can enhance learning and retention by forcing the brain to continuously adapt.

Steps:

1. Choose several topics or subjects to study.

2. Break your study time into short intervals, switching topics at each interval.

3. Continue rotating through the topics during your study session.

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