How To Study Last Minute - Quick Read

Since you're reading this, you're probably in a hurry. So, let's get right into it.

There's two different situations. Either, you're revising the night before, or right before the exam.

Focus on what's new

If you are studying last minute, don't go over the stuff you kind of know. Definitely don't go over what you know well. Focus on the topics that you aren't sure about at all, and direct all your attention on that.

You often know more than you think you do. And especially when you're in an exam, you tend to remember more than you expect. So, skip the topics you kind of know, because those you'll probably still decently figure out in the exam.

Study Actively - Write

Now, there's no time to make flashcards, even digital ones. But, there's time for notes. Lots and lots of them.

Instead of passively reading through the textbook and only retaining half, write down everything you read on a sheet of paper. I recommend you write in bullet points, and maybe even in your own words. This not only saves time, but also forces you to extract the key information in the text.

For the night before an exam:

If you're studying last minute the night before an exam, this applies to you. Go over the content once, but go over as much as possible. Go through it actively, mainly by taking notes, and maybe by answering some questions on the content if you have time. Then, I do recommend getting as much sleep as possible, so that you are well rested on the day of the exam.

Then, the next morning before the exam, aim to go over at least half of what you covered the last night. Try and actively recall the information from your memory, and use your notes to add the information you didn't remember. If you have time, go over everything again. I do not recommend you answer practice questions at this stage anymore, but instead save that energy for the exam.

For right before the exam:

Now, if you're only studying right before the exam, I suggest a slightly different approach.

Spend half your time going over new or relatively unknown content. Then, take a short break, talk to some people, have some water, and come back. Try and recall as much from memory as possible and write it down, then write down everything you didn't remember.

You want to make sure that you see the information at least twice, as this will help you remember it more.

At about 10 minutes before the exam latest, I suggest you stop studying. The mental energy spent studying is not worth the marginal results you get in return. Instead, drink some more water, eat something, let your mind recharge so that you have enough energy for the exam.

If you found this article helpful, but want some more information on how to study actively, then I recommend this article:

Active Recall Explained