We all know actually turning up to class, making notes and revising in advance are sure-fire ways to ace that Monday exam.
But let’s be real, nobody’s perfect.
Sometimes, it’s late on a Sunday night and you have yet to open your textbook and don’t have enough time to write neat, colour-coded notes like that girl Jess who sits next to you.
Instead of watching videos of screaming goats or stress-eating a bag of Doritos, here are some realistic ways to get the most out of your last-minute study session.
#1: Your stationery
We can spend hours exploring the aisles of Officeworks, collecting scented highlighters and cute post-its, but did you know they can actually be super practical? Long-standing research in colour perception has found that using colour in organising your notes can help to boost information retention.
Additionally, certain colours are associated with specific thought patterns and brain functions. For example, Blue is said to boost creativity, Red can improve concentration and most importantly, Orange helps complement higher order thinking and memory. So that secret stash of highlighters you have finally has a purpose.
Maybe that girl Jess was onto something.
#2: Your snacks
Food is life (obviously), but there are ways to make your next study snack work for you. Eating the right foods can help maintain your energy levels, keep you motivated and help you get to sleep.
Oranges have been scientifically proven to reduce stress and boost your immune system. That means you can stay focused and stay healthy.
Hummus is a crowd favourite; it’s also full of protein to keep you strong and full of energy, plus it’s delish’ paired with other power snacks like carrot and cucumber.
Bananas are a versatile snack; they are full of important vitamins and give you your daily dose of fibre. It also stimulates the production of serotonin which can help you get to sleep after a marathon study session.
To find out more about snacks that can help you get a better nights sleep, click here.
#3: Your sleep
Us Chronic procrastinators really rely on those last few nights to get our revision done, but sometimes we forget just how important sleep can be near exam time. It is not just about preserving energy the night before an exam, but it’s important the night after you study.
The amount of R.E.M sleep you get determines how much you remember as it helps consolidate your procedural memory. Ensuring you get at least 8 hours of sleep both the nights after you study and the night before the exam are super important in keeping you sharp and making sure those aesthetic notes are worth your while.
If you’re finding it hard to get to sleep, click here to see tips for eliminating insomnia.
#4: Your playlist
Most of us know that listening to music can make it hard to be effective whilst studying, but it’s sometimes hard to get through hours of studying without some good tunes. Unfortunately, old-school R&B may be getting in the way of you and you A+. Music with lyrics played at a high volume can interrupt thinking and make it hard to retain information. So, here are some ideas for your next study playlist.
Classical or instrumental music is a clear winner in this category as it is calming, it stimulates higher brain function and doesn’t interrupt your focus. Making a playlist of songs is also a good move because it means you won’t waste your time pressing skip or looking for songs; it creates continuity in your studying and allows you to focus better.
Music streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music have heaps of pre-set study playlists to help keep you motivated without wasting hours searching for the perfect song.
#5: Your future
Studying can be stressful, but sometimes you need more than Hummus and Mozart to get you through. Blisspot is invested in you and your future. They have albums full of quote inspo, and loads of articles to help you with your mental and physical health.
They want you to be as passionate about your well-being as they are. So get clicking and explore all the ways Blisspot can help you find what you’re looking for.
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Let’s be honest, you are probably procrastinating right now by reading this article so Blisspot has made it easy for you. Here are some links to get you started:
Have you tried the famous bliss balls yet? Yes… they taste as good as they sound. Click here to find out the secret ingredient:
Are you finding it hard to stay focused… still watching those goats? Click here for tips on how to keep focused.
Like reading profound quotes and feeling #blessed? Click here to visit the Blisspot inspire page.
Great stuff Rhea! Think I should show this to my cousin who is stressing out coping with her HSC exams coming up.
Amazing!