How To Study For A Test The Night Before– I had some experience back in the university, there was a course that people dreaded so much. It was almost normal to fail and repeat the course a number of times before finally passing. I was determined to pass at once so I gave my very best to it. But a night to the exam, I made a mistake that almost landed me an F. This write-up is being put together to show you how to study for a test the night before, the dos and the don’ts. Please follow through so you don’t make the same mistake I made some years back.
13 Tips To Study For A Test The Night Before
#1 Stay with the usual
A night before a test is not a time to start trying out new stuffs like new studying techniques, styles, etc. Stay with the methods that had always worked for you. As funny as it may sound, it is not time to try a new food recipe. You may end up running stool all through the next day or land in the hospital if care is not taken. Make use of your alarms as you have always done. Just ensure that all you do that night are your usual practices, nothing new.
#2 Study well in advance
You must have started studying long enough before the night that precedes the test. If that has been done, what you will be doing the night before the test will be just brushing up what you have been studying.
#3 Get enough sleep
As a serious student that has been studying long before the night to the test, you won’t really have much to study that night. Just take a little time to brush up your notes and then go get some good sleep. It is not time to start reading textbooks, its late already.
Sleep refreshes and rejuvenates your brain, mind and body. When you get enough sleep the night before the test, your memory is enhanced and it will be easy to recall all you have studied. You should go to bed early and sleep for at least 6-8 hours. When you wake up, you can start to revise your notes again until the time of the test.
#4 Go through your study notes
The night before the test is usually a good time to go through your personal study notes, class notes, jottings, etc. It is not a time for in-depth study but rather to brush up your knowledge. You should do this for a short time so that you can catch up with some good sleep thereafter.
#5 Test yourself
One of the tips on how to study for a test the night before is to examine yourself. You can draw up a list of questions from your notes or you could also use practice questions. Try to answer those questions without looking at your notes. Then compare your answers with the answers you have in your note.
#6 Eat the right diet
Avoid taking lot of sugar and caffeine that night. Take a lot of water, it will help your brain function maximally. Also you should avoid eating heavy meals that night.
#7 Study in groups
Find some of your colleagues that probably stay around your hostel that you could study together that night. But be careful in choosing study partners. You should select people that are better and more intelligent than you academically.
#8 Remove all distractions
If you are sincere enough with yourself, you should know those things that are normal sources of distractions to you. For example, a chatty roommate, a worrisome mum that won’t stop calling you, your smartphone, etc. Remove all the distractions until your test is over.
#9 Do some work-out
You can engage in some physical work-out like walking, running, yoga, etc. All these will affect your physical and mental health positively and help you sleep well at night. Work-outs has also been known to increase endorphins and reduce stress level.
#10 Get off the social media
As much as possible, get off all social media platforms until your test is over. Tik tok, snapchat, Instagram, etc can really eat up your time and distract you big time. So get rid of them until you are done with your test.
#11 Take some time out to relax
When you take time to relax, you can think clearly. There are different stuffs that can help you relax. They include yoga, music, taking less caffeine, decreasing sugar intake, exercise, meditation, etc.
#12 Set Alarm
The worst thing that can happen to you is to miss the test after all the preparations you must have done. To prevent this from happening, you should set alarms. You should set about 3 alarms that will wake you up at different times. By so doing if you miss one alarm time, you should catch up with the next. If you have roommates, you can also talk to them to wake you up.
#13 Get ready
You should have prepared your clothes and other stuffs including stationeries you will be needing for the test the night before. Have your bath, wear comfortable clothes and eat a light breakfast. Then walk confidently to the test hall.
4 Mistakes to avoid when Studying for Test a Night Before
Mistake 1: Cramming
Even though a time comes in studying that you will need to memorize some stuffs like definitions, processes, pathways, etc., it shouldn’t be done a night to the test. The major thing you should be doing when studying for a test the night before is revision. Review your study notes, lecture notes, jottings, etc. It is not time to be learning something new. More so, there is a very high possibility of forgetting most of what you crammed.
Mistake 2: Studying all night
This is also very wrong. The night before a test is not a time for elaborate studying. You need to get a lot of sleep. So as much as possible, study for a short time and go to bed. When you get adequate sleep, your brain will function optimally.
Mistake 3: Poor eating habits
Do not eat late at night. Don’t eat heavy foods, sugar foods caffeinated drink. Eat more of whole grains, vegetables, fish.
Mistake 4: Inadequate sleep
Don’t plan to sleep for a short time. Your body and your brain needs at least 6 hours of sound sleep in preparation for the test coming up the next day.
Why Should You Study For a Test The Night Before?
Better retention memory
Previous research has revealed that when you study just before sleeping, you would have a better memory. But this would only happen if you sleep for a minimum of 6hours.
Some students learn better at night
Research done by university of Nevada-Reno reveals that student assimilate better between the hours of 11am and 9.30pm. This is what makes studying at night before a test advantageous.
Foods to Eat to Study for a Test The Night Before
There are so many foods that you can eat a night before your test. Some of these foods include:
Whole grain foods e.g brown rice: Whole grains increase blood circulation to the brain and helps to improve memory.
Vegetable is a good source of fiber and also very low in sugar. It helps in regulating blood sugar
Examples of vegetables include spinach, broccoli, kale, etc.
Fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which enhances brain health and improves memory.
Foods to Avoid to Study for a Test the Night Before
Processed Sugary foods: these foods have a high tendency of increasing your blood sugar suddenly, giving you a boost of energy. But then comes the sugar crash; you will feel tired, weak and not wanting to write any test or exams again.
Caffeinated drinks: You need a good sleep the night before your test. Caffeinated drinks will not allow you to sleep soundly.
How to Study for Test Without Falling Victim of Fear And Anxiety
Tests and exams usually come with anxiety and some fear but if you take heed to the following tips, you would not fall victim.
- Start preparation early
- Have a study time-table
- Mark out a study plan
- Observe some short breaks between your study hours
- Sleep well
- Make notes while studying or in class
- Write Legibly
In Conclusion
Tests and exams are not meant to scare or intimidate you at all. Tests and exams are to assess what you have learnt so far and if you are fit to move on to the next levels or you still need some touching-up.
So the next test or exams you will be writing, don’t fear, rather pick up the truths that have been shared in this article and apply them.
Good success is yours!
I hope you got some value from this article on how to study for a test the night before?
Reference
- Oxbridgeessays.com- 10 Top Study Hacks for the Night Before the Exam
- ThoughtCo.com- How to study the Night Before a Test
- Tutorhouse.co.uk- What to Eat the Night Before an Exam
- Uopeople.edu- Dumbing Down-What to Do the Night Before the Exam
READ ALSO
How To Study For Exams In One Night
