1. Start off with an action plan. Before you begin cramming, take a few minutes to assess your situation and sketch out a general strategy for your study session. How many hours do you have before your test? Can you squeeze in any time for at least a few hours of shut-eye? Are there just a few areas you need to review, or are you pretty much starting from scratch? Create a flexible schedule indicating how long you plan to devote to each section. That way, you won’t make the rookie mistake of spending all night on one chapter when your test is covering half the textbook.
2. Eliminate distractions. Distractions are pretty much unavoidable in dorm rooms, but to get the most out of your cramming session, it’s worth it to try to make your environment as Zen-like, serene, and procrastination-proof as possible. Put away all of your gadgets, sign off of Facebook and your IM client, and hide your TV remote control. If your roommate isn’t down with an all-night study session, migrate to the library or the dorm lobby. Do whatever it takes to make sure you’ll be able to dedicate 110% of your focus to studying.
NO FB!!!!
3. Study strategically. Let’s face it – in a last-minute cramming session, you’re just not going to have time to memorize every line of your textbook. Make use of every tool you have at your disposal to help determine what you should devote most of your time to. If you’re lucky enough to have a study guide, utter a little prayer of thanks and follow it to the letter. If you’re freestyling with a textbook and your class notes, look for cues that indicate the relative importance of the content. In your textbook, keep an eye out for terms typed in boldface or italics. If you’re working off your class notes, look for things you’ve underlined, highlighted, or marked with a star. If your textbook includes study questions or end-of-chapter reviews, use them to check up on your progress.
4. Pace yourself and take breaks. Even when you’re cramming, there’s still such a thing as too much studying. If you power through your all-night session without any breaks, you could crash and burn from information overload. Study-skills experts say you should set aside at least five minutes each hour to get up, walk around, stretch, splash some cold water on your face, and grab a snack. If it’s workable, try to sleep for at least two hours before your test. That should be enough to help you feel refreshed and power through your exam.
Yeah. It's much more effective and stress-free that way. Cramming is no good compared to the productivity you get from having a solid game plan and tackling the key points when studying.
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