Study Smarter, Not Harder

Final exams are upon us once again — or at least upon those of us attending an institution of higher learning — and stress levels are riding high. The familiar sweaty palms, tired eyes and fuzzy brains have returned to take their toll on your exam preparation. The anxiety before taking an exam is inevitable, but there are ways to combat it, and final steps to be taken to feel prepared.

A recent blog post on GoConqr.com discusses 10 surprising, but proven ways to beat exam stress. The list is as follows:

1. Listen to Classical Music
2. Take a Quick Walk
3. Plan Your Study Routine
4. Play With Bubble Wrap & Puppies
5. Try to Get Enough Sleep
6. Use Mobile Apps
7. Give Your Mind Space
8. Eat Dark Chocolate
9. Let it All Out
10. Break Free from Distractions

This is a great list for exam preparation, and just studying in general, but make sure you tie up any loose ends in your studies. For those of us whose final exams tend to more often be of the IT certification variety, a recent article from CBT Nuggets gives some insight on final steps to take before you start your next exam. Here is the list, with a few TestOut-specific recommendations:

1. Take time to seriously consider how much time you will need to pass the exam. Can you master the topic in just a few weeks? How much time will it take for you to feel confident?
2. Watch all of the videos within your certification course. If you know everything in the videos, you are probably ready for the exam.
3. Go through each of your Lab Simulations (TestOut students only). The hands-on experience will be more valuable than what can be found with any other learning tool.
4. Take practice quizzes and practice exams. You can find good practice questions on websites like GoCertify.com.
5. Plan an effective review. You know what you already know, and you know what you don’t. Focus your material review on the things that you are least comfortable with.
6. Don’t get overwhelmed! TestOut courses are designed to put you in the best situation to succeed. Trust the process.

Don’t let the stress of the situation get in the way of your performance. When you have put in the work, and prepared the way you should have, certification exams are more than passable.

About the Author — Jake Slater is the social media manager for GoCertify and a graduate of Brigham Young University. Jake eats a dark chocolate-only diet for one whole week before every test. Mmm, certification.