As my exams are just around the corner, I am all over the place trying to stuff my mind with as much knowledge as possible in a very limited time, which let's be honest is an impossible feat to achieve. However, there are some tips that personally work well for me in effectively preparing for my exams in a short time as I am the kind of person who believes in working smarter and not harder and this has almost always helped me in achieving a good 4Gpa each time.

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So here are some tips that help me a lot while preparing for my exams in a short time :

1. Make a Chart and Timetable

The first thing that I do when I start preparing for my exams is to make a chart of all my subjects along with the topics and sub-topics that I have to study in the given subject. Once I am sure that I have got everything covered in the chart, I create a timetable for myself, where I put the subjects that I think are difficult and might require a little more attention than the other subjects for me first and place the ones which I think I can tackle easily for later.

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For instance, if I have like two weeks left for my exams and I have six subjects to cover, then I would assign two days for each subject. However, if I feel that there is a subject that I don't have much study to do for and I can easily cover it then I will assign one day of that subject as well to another subject which I think will be difficult for me to cover and will require more time from me. This way my study schedule is more organized and I am not all over the place, picking up any topic of any subject to study it also helps me have a more clear idea of what I have to do at what time.

2. Set Goals

Set a clear set of study goals. What do I mean by that? Let me explain. When I sit down for studying, what I do is I select some topics of a subject from my chart and give myself a time limit during which I have to cover those topics and for each topic that I cover, I marked it with a tick mark on the chart. The more I study, the more I tick mark my topics which keeps me motivated.

For example, I will select three topics from a subject and set a time limit of three hours during which I have to cover these topics, no matter how much or how less time each topic takes and how many breaks I take during this time but the main point is that my goal should be met. However, for some topics, even the given time is not enough and so for those kinds of topics, I create a separate flow chart and set a time in which I have to cover the topic and its sub-topic alone.

3. Taking Breaks is Important

This is a complete myth when people say that the more time you spend studying the more effective the results will be. In fact, it's the complete opposite, because personally the more time I spend on studying, the more drained out and lack of interest I feel in studying which often results in me just wasting my time as I just spend hours upon hours on studying but at the end retain nothing. So it is essential to take breaks from study from time to time to freshen up the mind. Like study a topic, then take a small break of 10 to 15 minutes during which just do whatever makes you feel calm and happy and then after the break sit down for studying again.

4. Study Sessions with Friends

Getting together with friends for study sessions is an effective way for me to discuss all the topics that I have studied and share my idea regarding the topic and at the same time get their insight on those topics which helps in making me understand the concept better. However, in those study sessions, you have to stay focused and not waste time and straying away from your study topics to gossip.

5. The Four-Step Process of Learning or Whichever Method Works Best for You.

My method of learning is based on Richard Feynman's four-step process of learning which I have been following for well as long as I can remember. First I study a topic and understand its main concept, then grab a pen and paper and simplify the concept as much as possible while writing it down in points. Once I have simplified the concept enough, I study those points and asses whether I have missed something or not in understanding the concept, if I missed something I review it with my topic and then rewrite those points and once I am sure I have got everything covered, I write the concept in my own words and from my own understanding of the topic. This method of learning helps me a lot as not only do I learn the topic just for the time being but will remember it for a long time as the concept of the topic has been modified by me to fit in with my own understanding of the topic.

But while this method works for me it's not necessary that it will work out for everyone so try to choose a method that works the best for you. For instance, if you are an auditory learner, someone who learns well from audio then record your notes for yourself and listen to them or if you are someone who learns well from visuals then create diagrams and charts for your topics to understand them, meaning that the method of learning depends on what works well for you.

So these are some of the tips that help me prepare for my exams in a short time and I hope they will be of some help to you all as well. However, always keep in mind that it's not necessary that all those ways which work for me might also work for you as each mind works differently and so one's way of learning and understanding is also different.