Overworking Yourself

I'll be the first to admit that I'm terrible with stress and pressure. I know I've done an entry about handling stress already, which can be found here, but this entry is a bit different...if you go to my school or know me at all, you can figure out that tomorrow begins the dreaded Midterm Week. Alright, be honest...how many of you just cringed while reading that?

Well, either way, we have a bunch of 1 1/2 hour tests that basically require a whole lot of studying, mental breakdowns, and crying. Lots and lots of crying (well, that is, if you're as bad at handling stress as I am..)

So if you're one of the people sitting up trying to procrastinate studying for whichever midterm you have tomorrow, DON'T! Here are some tips so you don't overwork yourself (& these tips can also help for overworking yourself in general).

1. Note for next time -- Don't just study the night before. It may be too late for you now, but maybe you'll learn for next time...some people claim that studying the night before helps them "retain information"...yeah, alright. That CAN be true, but just one night's worth of studying for a huge exam is hopeless.

2. Take breaks. No, surprisingly, this doesn't mean you're procrastinating! Try using the study method that I use (which, for the record, can actually help you study for easily 5-6 hours without realizing it)...study nonstop for 30 minutes, then take a 20 minute break and walk it off, then study for another 30 minutes, another 20 minute break, and so on. It's actually pretty helpful.

3. Commit it to memory. Recite the facts in the shower, in your sleep, whenever! Try recording yourself saying some of the facts and set it as your alarm tone for the next morning. It works!

4. DO NOT STAY UP UNTIL 2AM. Staying up all night will just make you exhausted and information will slip the next morning!

5. Do review packets. Yeah, yeah, extra work that you aren't required to do...maybe dig it out of your backpack and try it anyway? The questions in the review packets are obviously designed to resemble questions on the midterm...which can give you a background in what to expect on the real test.

6. Take your review sheet with you all morning. The morning of the test can be pretty stressful...does wanting to climb under a rock and die seem like a familiar feeling for the morning of? Read over your review sheet up until the last possible second: while eating breakfast, brushing your teeth, doing your hair, on the bus, and in the class before you're told to put everything away. Cramming is bad for you, but last minute refreshing/cramming just to make sure you retained the info isn't bad.

7. Reading over your notes will not help you. Sadly, it won't help. You have to either re-write your notes, or write down the answers to the review questions. Skimming your notes will make you even more confused.

8. SLEEP. I can't stress this one enough! Go to bed no later than 10:00-10:30pm. You'll feel refreshed and (sort of) ready to take on the test.

So I hope these tips will give you guys a new study habit to try tonight! Good luck on all of your exams!

xoxo,

Jessica
The Pastry Queen

Quote of the Day:

"I've stopped waiting for people to do the right thing and I've just learned that if you need something to be done correctly, you have to suck it up and do it yourself." -Unknown