Exams can be a very stressful time with to-do lists piling up and the holiday season approaching! Whether you are in middle school taking exams for the first time or a high schooler with exams in multiple challenging classes, studying can be very difficult and overwhelming. However, with these exam tips, you will be sure to ace your exams and will be able to enjoy your Thanksgiving break with no stress as soon as you walk out of the door at the end of your last exam!

1. Go Through Old Tests and Quizzes: Since exams cover material that you have already been tested on earlier in the trimester, use your old assessments to help you relearn the material as well as to analyze your performance on the tests. Old assessments will have problems or questions that you can practice answering, along with the correct answers to check yourself. The old tests can also allow you to recognize types of questions that you answered incorrectly so that you can be sure to focus on your specific areas of weakness.
2. Get A Study Group Together: Plan for a group of friends to meet at Dunkin or Starbucks to enjoy your favorite coffee or snack while being productive! Studying with friends is a great way to help others while being helped by others all at once. Teaching material actually helps with feeling more comfortable with material for yourself, and it is also a great way to help classmates. You can learn and bounce ideas off of eachother. This is a great way to enhance your understanding of the material, as long as everyone in the group is sure to stay on task!
3. Writing Things Down and Using Pictures: This is a great method of study for visual learners. Writing down material and rewriting notes helps with retaining information, and it is a nice way to compile all of your information. This often can make the material seem less overwhelming. I also recommend color coding and highlighting if you are a visual learner and like to add some creativity and color to your notes, like me. Pictures, graphs, and charts are also a great way to see material in a different format.
4. Make a Study Calendar: Planning out your study times in an agenda or calendar is a wonderful way to get organized and to hold yourself accountable. Writing down what and when you have to study can make you feel less overwhelmed and can help you be realistic about which classes need more of your attention. Following a study plan will make you hold yourself accountable so that you actually study for the amount of time that you intended to. Doing this will also motivate you and help you alot specific times and methods to study. Make lists of each topic and check them off when you feel confident about them, so that you are sure that you don’t forget to review anything!
5. Get Help From Your Teachers: When you receive your study guides from your teachers, go through the lists and write down the topics or concepts that you do not understand and bring them to your teacher. Your teachers will gladly help you, and doing this will validate your understanding of the material. 

No matter how you choose to study, be sure to stay organized and focused. Use your study guides and any resources provided to you. Most importantly, don’t stress and do your very best! Be sure to study hard so that you can end the trimester strong and enjoy your holiday break!