Not only that, we can tutor Spanish as well But I digress! Read more to find out what this article is about!

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It is almost time for exams! Instead of panicking and cramming it in all at the last moment, here are a few good tips for making the most out of your studying.

1. Get it done early in the day.
You tend to concentrate much better during the early hours of the morning and afternoon. If you get up at 7am and eat a light breakfast, you can easily knock out 4-5 hours of studying before you even have lunch, which means you can finish before the day is even half way over!

2. Don’t take a breaks often.
As odd as that may seem, taking breaks every hour will actually increase your risk of not studying as hard or effective as you are able to. As soon as you start of lose focus, take a quick breath, and start focusing again. Don’t go take a 10 minute break because those 10 minutes you spend on video games, TV, talking to friends, etc. may turn into 30 minutes, an hour, a few hours, etc., and before you know it, you have been distracted and wasted time when you could have just endured studying longer.

3. Study in a quiet environment.
One of the biggest distractions while studying at home is the TV and internet. Study somewhere you won’t have access to TV or the internet. If you can, try studying at your local library.

4. Emails, Instant Messaging, Facebook, Myspace – they can all wait.
Seriously, if you want to do well, you should avoid using any of these services I listed, and those I didn’t that don’t pertain to your studying. You’ll end up wasting time and getting sidetracked from your primary goal – studying.

5. Get a good night’s rest.
Sleep is very essential to normal brain functions. You’ll need at least 7-8 hours of sleep in order to be at your best for exams, so instead of burning the midnight oil the night before your exams, you should be resting.

6. Eat nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables.
Fruits and vegetables are full of so many goodies – vitamins, nutrients and most importantly, lasting energy. The natural sugars in fruit will provide you the energy you’ll need to stay focused, while vegetables will give you the proper nutrition for your body.

7. Drink lots of water.
While drinking a lot of water may require you to use the restroom more frequently, water will keep you alert and hydrated. Remember, a hydrated body = a focused mind.

8. Review your notes.
The key to remembering information for an exam is to review your notes on a more frequent basis. Review your notes after each class, and  again a few days later to ensure that the information stays fresh in your mind. You will be amazed at how much more you can retain on test day.

9. Be calm, and don’t worry.
Exams are meant to be tough, but if you prepared efficiently, then you shouldn’t worry. All your hard effort will pay off.

I hope these tips have helped. The most important tip in here is to get preparing for finals and studying done as early as possible so that you’ll have time to memorize the information you need. Good luck on your exams, everyone!!

As a part of our ongoing “Exam Help and Study Tips” series, today we bring you a few more helpful exam tips as we know it’s near exam time for a lot of students. Here is a breakdown of what you need to do to get through your exams:

A Week Before the Exam
- Make study sheets for each class. Each study sheet should cover all materials you learned in class, and include homework examples and your notes.
- Write your notes neatly and clearly, and be sure to accentuate important ideas by using markings such as stars and asterisks. You’ll want to be sure to that you are able to study your notes effectively, so they have to be neatly written.
- For the next week or so before your exams, read through your study sheets a few times each day, and memorize the important key concepts. Be sure to quiz yourself.

The Night Before the Exam
- Study both your study sheets and textbook, as well as other important documents that will pertain to the tests like homework, past assignments, etc.
- Get a good night’s sleep, which means that you’ll have to get to bed at a decent hour. Don’t stay up late studying at the last minute; this will do more harm than good because you won’t be well-rested for your exam the next morning/day.

The Day of the Exam
- Set your alarm so that you’ll get up early to allow yourself plenty of time to get to do a “refresh” study session before the exam and to get to it on on time.
- Eat a hearty and well-balanced breakfast that include complex carbohydrates (such as whole-grain cereal or toast), simple sugar (like a grapefruit or orange juice), and protein (such as milk, eggs, meat, etc.). This will help your blood sugar stay at a stable level, and keep your brain from getting “sluggish”.

During the Exam
- First, put your name on your exam before you forget. (I’ve seen a lot of students forgetting to to put their names on the exams due to feeling anxious or worried).
- Be sure to read questions and directions carefully before you answer. To be safe, read the questions twice. Students tend to make careless mistakes when they are feeling rushed to finish their exams, or when they are anxious.
- Keep your eye on the clock while taking the exam.
- Be sure to use the entire exam period rather than rushing through the test. So in other words, pace yourself. You don’t want to go too slow or too fast because you’ll have a higher probability of making careless and minor mistakes that could be costly to your test score.

Remember kids, be sure to work hard in order to play hard! Good luck on your finals, everyone!!