Study Break

How someone prepares for a big test says a lot about who they are.

My preparation and study rituals scream one word: NERD. 
The word Anxiety is a very close second though.


When it comes to studying, I am very particular.

1.  I need a quiet space. Not library quiet, but monk-ish silence. Noise distracts me. Most people come to understand one thing about me fairly quickly: I have the WORST sense of hearing.  I listen to the TV all the way up and rarely notice when my voice volume is completely too loud for the setting I am in.  My outside voice is also my inside voice. This notion might seem to contradict some of my study preparations and techniques, because I am an auditory learner.  I learn by hearing things.  This might be a key point in why I cannot study in a noisy environment.  I focus on the noises around me, rather than paying attention to my studies.
2. I procrastinate.  Each time a test nears, I tell myself I will study days or maybe even weeks in advance.  Each time this happens, I say I will start this ritual next test. (See what I did there? -Procrastination Station.) I usually study the night before a test and into the wee hours of morning of test day.  Shockingly, I do not need Aderral to help me accomplish this.  Running off zero sleep is one of my few.. uh ..."talents" if you want to call it that.
3. I suffer from "study blackout". Some of you might be saying to yourself, that there is no such thing. Oh but believe me, there is. And more than likely you have been a victim of it as well.  "Study Blackout" is when you suddenly realize you have been on Pinterest for the past 30 minutes instead of reading the 3rd chapter in your Economics book. You have no idea when you clicked on Twitter, or how long you have been online shopping. This is similar to when you drive home and when you get there you can't remember your drive. I occasionally frequently suffer from this.  The best help in this situation is to leave your laptop/iPad/phone in another room. Insane right? But it's doable. 
4. My friends think I talk to myself. And guess what? They're right.  In order for me to absorb what I am learning, I need to hear the terminology and concepts out loud.  My mother use to say I could ace a test just by going to class.  To an extent this is true.  I remember examples professors give in class without writing them down.  My ability to quote sentences from lecture is borderline creepy.  When it comes to studying, I have to put my notes back into lecture form. I have to hear myself talk about the concepts.  This makes it difficult to study in a public space, well without being labeled a lunatic.  This hopefully will help me one day when I will be the teacher giving the lectures.
5. I make electronic notecards. If you do not know about quizlet.com yet, then I am about to change your life.  Quizlet.com is a website where you can type information, terms, and definitions into their database, and they will create notecards for you. FO FREE.  All you do is print them out, cut them up, and start learning! This website can cut your study preparation time in half.  If you don't want the physical cards, you can take tests on the website that are created by the information you put into their database. I love technology.
6. I do the readings. Crazy concept right? To actually buy the book and do what the teacher tells you to? Well guess what, it works.  This can be a double edge sword though.  I read and understand class material before we talk about it in class. But this also means all the other people in class who slack off and refuse to pay $70 for a textbook (but will spend $50 at the bar...) ask me if they can use my book.  I'm all for sharing but come on man?
7. IUAWIS - I Use Acronyms When I Study. I am queen of turning the concepts of one thing into a ridiculous sentence.  For example: On my last test, the 5 ways that facial expressions are expressed are Simulation, Intensification, Neutralization, De-intensification, and Masking.  But I learned that the 5 ways that facial expressions are expressed are So In Need of Dave Matthews. Seems silly, but it's genius.

When it comes to test day, I have specific rituals.

1. Take a shower. Seems like a necessity anyway, but taking a shower will wake me up and give me energy I need to focus on a test.
2. Eat a good breakfast. Not just a good breakfast, but a filling one.  There is nothing more distracting than a growling stomach talking to you while you take a test in a classroom full of people.
3. No coffee. Energy is good. Looking like a crack addict with the shakes is not good.
4. Run over my notes. I do this before every test.  I go to the exec room in my sorority house and study for about 45 minutes before I take a test.  This room is rarely occupied and in the quietest section of the house.  I read my whole outline out loud to myself so I can hear for the last time, what will be on the test. I also go through my notecards at least one more time.
5. Tweet it out. This might seem juvenile, but before a big test I will vaguely tweet about it. I will post something like "Here goes nothing" or "Crossing my fingers". I do this all the time and don't really know why. Maybe I did it once before I got an A on a test and figured it wouldn't hurt to continue the tradition?  Or maybe I'm hoping someone will see my post and say a little prayer for me...
6. Pencil Perfect. I bring about 2 extra pencils to a test.  Just incase I break one, someone else needs one, etc.  I also refuse to use pens on a test. Too much of a commitment. Too permanent. 
7. Pointless Anxiety. I get a lot of anxiety before a test, but not related directly to the content of the test.  I freak out that my phone will ring during a test. Or that my alarm will go off.  I check to make sure my phone is off multiple times before I take a test. An unhealthy amount of times.  I give dirty looks when someone's phone distracts me during a test... and Lord knows I don't want to be on the receiving end of that look.  
8. Have questions? ASK! One thing that completely boggles me about college is how students think asking questions is not necessary.  No one did anything great in this world without a little help.  When the professor asks if anyone has any questions before the test, ask something.  Even a question you know the answer to. Worst case senario? He gives you and the class an answer you would have missed if you were too afraid to ask. And shockingly, professors actually want us to succeed in class. So ask them for help!