With exams on the horizon, we reached out to the Skule™ community for study tips to help you get ready.
“Don’t just re-read past notes. Instead, actively test the knowledge you have retained by trying to solve problem sets. Study with your peers. This allows you to discuss concepts that you struggled with and see if others in the group can help. Your peers will have varying degrees of strengths and weaknesses, so studying in a group allows you to help each other fill the info gaps. Get a good night’s sleep before the exam. You will feel more relaxed and prepared if you have had proper rest.”
Vanessa Andres, Academic Advisor, Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry
“I think it is important to recap what you have learnt in lectures every day. By this I mean review lecture notes, do some textbook readings, and, if possible, work on some practice questions that pertain to the material that you covered in lectures that day.”
Thandi Myers (Year 1 TrackOne)
“Think about what the course is trying to teach overall, and then break the course materials down to a few major categories. Concentrate on each individual category by solving a few representative questions of various difficulty levels. Then look for connections between categories to gain more insight. Conceptual understanding is the key.”
Professor Belinda Wang (ECE)
- Organize your workspace.
- Practice with old exams.
- Ask for help when you need it.
- Teach the concept to others.
- Don’t study in groups until you have review the material yourself. It will be more helpful that way.
- Eat healthy foods.
- Plan out your study schedule.
- Take regular breaks.
- Study in the same context as your exam.
- Be positive.
Sabrin Mohamed, Academic Advisor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering
“Eat. Exams are long, and if you don’t eat before, you will be hungry. Bring a granola bar into the exam if your prof will allow it. I find just stopping at some point and eating my bar relaxes me and gives me time to think. Also bring water, but don’t drink all of it if you have a small bladder. Obligatory shout out for courses.skule.ca, which has past midterms for most courses in engineering.”
Sam McCulloch (Year 2 IndE)
“Planning ahead is key. Spread out your studying so that you avoid cramming, which can leave you feeling underprepared and anxious. Learning Strategists can help if you’re not sure how to make an effective study plan. Prioritize sleep and nutrition so that you’ll be functioning at your best, and don’t forget to reward yourself for all your hard work!”
Jennifer Fabro, Academic Advisor, First Year Office