Exams begin on Friday and students are frantically preparing themselves for the tests we spend all year working towards. However, if the proper preparations are made, students may not experience uneasiness in comparison to those who save their studies for the night before.

 As there are only a few days before the first exams start, it will be vital to review each night before the test, even if only for a few minutes. Utilize your last bit of time to its full potential. One of the best ways to do so is by finding practice exams released from prior years to test your skills. Avoid cramming, but studying the night before is a good strategy, when paired with studying for weeks ahead of time. Numerous studies show that reviewing shortly before sleep increases your brain’s memory abilities. Use your last day of studying to your advantage by concluding with a study session just before bed. Additionally, bring your study guides with you everywhere. As students, waiting is inevitable. Always anticipate that you will have a few extra minutes before or after class to review your notes.

 Although countless students disregard health by considering it irrelevant to success on exam days, it is extremely important to take it into account the night before your tests. Maintaining an optimistic headspace is imperative. Mental health is equally as important as physical health when it comes to testing. If you find it difficult to think of your exams as anything but stressful, it may be important for you to sacrifice a small amount of study time to relax and calm your nerves before the day of the test. Remaining confined to a pessimistic mindset will hinder your work ethic and productivity during the test.

 On the day of the exam, be sure to arrive early. This will allow you time to reduce any anxiety you have about the exam, boost your confidence, and find your focus. Additionally, plan your time during the exam so that you spend more time on difficult subjects and less time on familiar ones. This will help you to finish the test early so that you have time to review. When deciding on your final answers, go with your instincts. More often than not, the answer you first believe to be correct is. Plus, endlessly reviewing your answer choices typically will not do you any good, so do not devote excess time to individual questions. Sophomore Lucas Warren explained, “I never try to spend longer than one minute on test questions. I don’t want to risk getting behind, and moving faster gives me time to check over my answers.” Ensuring that you have prepared as much as possible for your exams is crucial, and feeling ready will allow some of the pressure to be relieved. Good luck to Millbrook students during the upcoming testing weeks!