Expert tips on how to study smartly during exams

Dr Samir Parikh shares few quick tips on how to study right during exams.

With board exams nearing the corner, students might be stressed on how to set the routine right so that they can study, revise and remember the topics quickly. When it comes to preparing for exams, studying hard is not the key, studying smart is what every student needs to do. Dr Samir Parikh, Director, Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences, Fortis Healthcare shares few quick tips on how to chose the right environment, tips to improve focus and how to study including when to take a break and how to revise to set the goals right during exams. Also read about tips on what to do before, during and after exams.

The Environment

• Study at your table only.
• Avoid studying in bed.
• Avoid watching TV and listening to music while studying.
• Sleep for at least 7-8 hours every night.

Tips to improve focus and concentration

• For 15 minutes a day, listen to instrumental music and focus on any one instrument.
• Do the e exercise. Strike out all the e s in a paragraph of a newspaper article. Here's more on tips to improve concentration and score well in exams.

How to study

• Duration: Study for 40-45 minutes at a stretch with regular breaks of 5-10 minutes each.
• Avoid confusion: Don t study too many new topics and subjects on a single day.
• Skimming: Fast reading and focusing on keywords help concentration and learning.
• Highlight words and phrases: This helps you remember them as distinct photo memories .
• Make connections between points: This groups them together and act as a single memory chunk.
• Use mnemonics: Flowcharts and graphics help you with remembering things.

Take a break

• Simple breathing exercises will help you relax and focus better.
• Leave the study room. Avoid TV, reading and computer. Music, light snacks and walks are more helpful.

Revision routine

Typically, memory loss takes place within the first 24 hours of studying, and then weekly. For best results,

revise every section on day 1,7,2,15 and 30. Maintain the following revision chart to monitor your progress: Date, Chapter and Revision. Also read about diet changes to help your kids top exams.

• Remember, you only need to read your notes and the highlighted sections while revising.
• Take weekly self-tests: Time yourself and give yourself marks.
• Put up a chart in your room and rate yourself on a scale of 0-5 in every subject.

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