You are new at university, you have just started to study, and your finals are around the corner? However, you don’t really know how to prepare best for your exams? Don’t worry – I’ve got you!
After you figured out how to study in Austria, you’ll face other obstacles called finals. Studying for courses and lectures can be tricky, especially if you are a new student or if you are not studying in your home but a foreign country. What may seem challenging at the beginning will get easier with time – I promise. The most important part is to stay focused. You need clear goals and motivation to finish what you’ve started. Other than that, here are some tips on how to study for your exams that might help you get through your finals a little easier, and no, I am not talking about cheating. 😉
Tip number 1: Know what type of learner you are for studying effectively
People and their characters are unique, so are their types of learning. The easiest way for some people is to read the material, others might like to listen to lecturers who explain everything in detail, and a few like to write important details down or talk to somebody about what they’re studying at the moment. As you might already notice, our sense organs play quite a big part in the learning game.
Important: you are most likely to succeed if you combine two or more methods when studying for an exam. The more senses are included in the learning process, the better the output.
Different types of learners
Visual learners
Visual learners like to see their information to process it. They also love to make lists, take notes, and add doodles to their notes.
Tips for good studying: The best way for visual learners is to write their summary themselves combined with the usage of highlighters and index cards. It also may help to pin index cards that are hard to remember somewhere in your room where you see and read them often.
Auditory learners
Auditory learners like their information transmitted via sound. Students who like to learn with their hearing also might not take notes but rather listen in lectures.
Tips for good studying: Recording the learning material and listening to it frequently will help to remember it. Furthermore, reading aloud while studying is an often-used method, and being questioned by others also might help.
Kinesthetic learners
These kinds of learners cannot sit still or keep their hands to themselves. They always need to fidget around with something because they learn through experiencing or doing things.
Tips for good studying: You can fidget around with a ball or a pen in your hand while studying. Even walking around while reading the course materials can be helpful. These types of learners might also need breaks more frequently – these should be used to let go of some extra energy for example go outside for a short walk or exercise.
Reading/writing learners
This type ties in with visual learners in a certain way but is still different. Individuals who prefer this type need to express themselves through writing, reading articles or books, writing diaries, and use the internet for everything.
Tips for good studying: Implement as many materials as possible in your learning routine and write your summaries yourself. What also might help is repeatedly reading the same passage over and over again to secure it in your mind.
Tip number 2: Revise your lectures and courses at home
This part is hard to implement and probably the least popular tip for studying because it is time-intense, and a lot of students don’t want to spend more time than necessary on their lectures and courses. However, this step will make it easier to remember the covered subjects and will save you time in the end, because you do not need to study as much for your exam due to extensive preparation.
Sometime after the lecture, go home, sit down, and repeat what you went through at this day’s lecture. Depending on what type of learner you are, you can prepare summaries, record audios, or just listen. You will thank yourself when finals are around the corner because now all you need to do is revise.
Tip number 3: Ask other students
Other students may already know what the professor values most in his or her exams so take this advice seriously. Preparing for your finals will be a lot easier when knowing what the exam might look like. Whether the professor will ask detailed questions about the course or if he or she likes general answered questions. Furthermore, you can ask other students to prepare together, and there will always be someone to study within your dormitories in Austria because together is always more fun.
There are also forums on Facebook or Studo (an app that helps students in Austria to coordinate their studies and keep an overview of their lectures) concerning your studies or even specific classes. These are extremely helpful to ask questions you don’t want to ask your professor directly. However, some forums can also make you stress out before an exam. Therefore, it is best to stay away from them shortly before an exam to avoid stressing out even more.
Tip number 4: Find practical examples covering your learning material
Some studies include many theories, and it is hard to remember all of them and not to mix them. Thus, it can be really helpful to think about practical examples or research them with the help of our all-time-best-friend the internet. You can also ask your professor about a good example if you cannot think about one yourself. At this point there is another important tip for you: Don’t be afraid to ask questions!
Tip number 5: Be prepared and believe in yourself!
Being nervous is a completely normal reaction before or during an exam. However, you can lower your nervosity by preparing well for your finals. Because failing will most possibly not be the outcome. Some students still struggle with severe nervosity. In this case, you could try breathing exercises, yoga and if nothing else helps you could consult a doctor.
Remember to get a good amount of sleep before your exam and try to be positive. You can even stand in front of the mirror and tell yourself that you can do this if you like. Believing in yourself and not doubting every single thing you do can make a big difference, believe me.
Start studying as soon as possible and take these tips on how to study for your exams seriously – your future self will thank you! 😉