How to Cram for an Essay Writing Exam
Last-minute cramming is very different from daily studying. These techniques can help prepare for an impending exam.
Everyone’s been there: your huge essay writing exam is tomorrow and you’re not as ready as you probably should be. Unfortunately, there’s no quick fix for a substantial lack of knowledge, but there are a few strategies worked out by the professional essay writer you can use to prepare yourself for the big test. The effectiveness of these techniques is different for everyone, but if they’re put into practice as soon as possible, you can give yourself an edge over the coming exam.
Staying Calm and Planning Your Time
It’s easy to panic when you’re not ready for a big writing exam, but stress will only make your cram session that much harder. Start by planning how much time you have. Say you start studying at 7 PM on Tuesday and the exam is at 8 AM on Wednesday.
That’s 13 hours before the test, but spending all 13 studying won’t be as beneficial as studying for 6 hours and sleeping for 7. Block out your time in a schedule and stick to it; set aside a few 10-minute blocks for breaks after every 2 hours, set aside 30 minutes to eat dinner, and go to bed at a predesignated time.
Then, find a good place to study. If you live in a college dorm or apartment with a roommate, you might want to leave your room and spend some time in a study room or library. Make sure this place has the resources you need, like Wi-Fi, a comfortable desk with a chair, a bathroom, etc. This area should also have minimized distractions.
You should be in a quiet, secluded area. Things like music, phone calls, talkative roommates, or busy lounges aren’t going to help you focus on the material you need to study. Pull yourself away from the T.V., put your phone on silent, and tell your roommate you need to concentrate.
Knowing What’s Important to Study
Start by reviewing your notes. Usually, your set of notes is a summarized version of the professor’s lecture or the textbook chapter. A concise version of what you need to know is the best way to remember the bullet points.
Try practice problems. It’s amazing how often teachers pull problems from the homework you do. Practice the problems you have some trouble with or ask assistance of the last minute essay writing service to get valuable solutions; the ones you can do with your eyes closed are the ones to avoid when you’re cramming.
It’s also critical to avoid memorizing everything. When cramming, trying to memorize entire definitions and paragraphs is useless. Learn the “bullet facts,” or the bare minimum needed to understand a topic. When you’re cramming, you only have a select amount of time and a select amount of brain space available, and the most important pieces of information need to be processed.
If you can, join a study group. It can be hard to find a group of students who’ll work with you the night before the test, but if you have contacts in the class, suggest meeting up and discussing problems that you’re struggling with. Teachers and their assistants usually aren’t available the night before the test, but if you have a very general question, it’s often worth it to send them an email or drop by their office and discuss it.
Preparing Yourself Physically and Mentally
A lot of students, myself included, forget that your body needs to be ready for the test just like your brain. Don’t neglect your own body! Start by getting some sleep. It’s tempting to spend those 13 hours studying, but without rest, your brain won’t recharge and process all the information you’ve tried to jam into it. About an hour before you go to sleep, turn off your electronics and focus on reading your material to become the best essay writer; this will give your brain time to wind down and will help you sleep peacefully throughout the night.
Also, resist caffeine. Coffee and candy do give you an energy boost, it’s true, but cramming while ingesting caffeine is ineffective. The caffeine will cause you to crash shortly after you ingest it, and the last thing you want is to lose precious study time. Instead, drink plenty of water and eat a full dinner rather than snacking continuously on candy and other junk food.
With all of these things to worry about, it’s easy to get bogged down in the possibility of failure. This negative attitude will only bring about more stress, and when your body is stressed, it’s harder to learn and focus. Taking a few short breaks will take your mind off of studying, and these breaks are the best time to take a walk and reflect on something other than your huge test. Staying upbeat and optimistic will lessen the physical and mental stress you put on your body, giving you a better chance of succeeding in your studying and the actual test.
No one likes to wake up to a test they’re not prepared for, but using these techniques, you can give yourself an opportunity for success. Stay calm, focus, and get plenty of rest, but most importantly, don’t make last-minute cramming a habit!
