Central Idea: Cramming for a test can be difficult but the more details of the three main steps, eating, sleeping, and minimizing, to surviving a cram sessions you can cover, the better your chance of survival are. .
- Eat a meal that doesn't completely fill you, but that satisfies your hunger enough to concentrate before you start to cram. Over filling yourself can make you sluggish, for example after Thanksgiving meals. The next morning, make sure to eat a healthy breakfast. It also may be help to suck on a small piece of peppermint candy during the test. It's proven that peppermint helps stimulate brain flow helps and individual focus. Also, try to avoid too many sugar and caffeine products. While there energy they bring can be helpful the "crashes" that typically follow can hinder you chances more than the energy will help. .
- Relax. You know what you've got ahead of you already so fretting will only hurt. It's also proven that playing classical music while studying helps the brain take in more information at a faster rate, more efficiently. Throughout the study period take periodic breaks. Up to ten minutes is sufficient. For most, a break longer than that can lead to the person forgetting what they just took in. Most importantly, you must get a decent night rest. The more sleep you can get the better. .
- You aren't going to be able to take it all in in one night so minimize your studying to main ideas. Often times the notes that you have taken in the past can be your best friend. Those are facts directly from the teacher/professor and so chances are better that that information will be on the exam. If you haven't taken notes, your best bet is to go over the review section at the end of the section, and then work your way through the chapter by skimming. If you can get notes from a friend, that would also be beneficial. Relying on a friend's notes can be risky, though. The next morning, skim over your notes again during breakfast.