Every secondary school student dreads the O-Level Examinations, some more than others, but what sets apart one student from another? Their level of preparedness for the papers. “How can I study more effectively to prepare for the exams?” You may ask. Fret not, here are a list of study tips that have been compiled for you to ace the examinations.

Tip 1: The Set-up.

Always have a neat study area! Have you always suddenly felt the need to rearrange and decorate your desk the moment you sit down to start studying? This is a sign that your desk is probably very messy and your tools are not organised. Find some time before you start your revision to tidy up the area; you could even fit it to your aesthetic by adding small, but not distracting, items that have a specific colour scheme or theme!

Another thing you should take into consideration is your environment. When studying, always try to find a conducive and peaceful study area, especially when you are studying outside. One popular study spot among many students is the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library, which is on the upper levels of the National Library building. Many students flock here, especially during exam season, to secure a spot in the library and study through the rest of the day.

Tip 2: The Techniques.

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique? Invented in the late 1980s by Francesco Cirillo, the Pomodoro study method is named after the Italian word for tomato. That was the shape of the kitchen timer that Cirillo used to time his study and break periods. The idea is to break up your study sessions into 25 minutes of focus and 5 minutes for breaks, however, after every 3 or 4 of such focus periods, the breaks can get longer. There is a website that helps you track all your ‘Pomos’ and study sessions. Check it out here: Pomofocus.

Another study technique that you can use is a combination of 2 of the best methods used in studying: active recall and using flashcards. Here, you can use active recall to ask questions about a subject and pen them down on empty flashcards. On the back, try your best to recall the answers, solutions, or formulas and use that as your first form of revision when creating said cards. Subsequently, you can refer to the flashcards to test your knowledge quickly to see how well of a grasp you have on a subject. Be it physical or digital, flashcards are always convenient to bring around to study on the go!

Tip 3: Studying Smart, Not Hard.

What is one of the biggest mistakes that many students make when studying? Over-studying. So many students are guilty of pulling all-nighters to cram for tests that they have not prepared for, rather than spacing everything out . Therefore, they end up studying for long periods of time without breaks, but is that truly productive? Are they really absorbing all of the information? An article from the Sleep Foundation says, “No.” By depriving themselves of sleep, students end up having trouble concentrating and retaining the information they try to take in during those study sessions. “Long study sessions lead to a lack of concentration and thus a lack of learning and retention,” says another article by UNC Learning Center. Are you beginning to realise why your late night study sessions don’t seem effective now?

In conclusion…

Even though it may seem like preparing for the O-Levels exams are daunting, remember that a small step goes a long way. All the short and effective study sessions add up to your preparedness to help you ace all the papers!

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