Handy tips to make exams go easier at Hollis/Brookline

Published: Sunday, January 10, 2010

Another winter break has ended, and we all know what that means: Midterms are right around the corner.

It’s that time of year again when Hollis/Brookline High School students find themselves trying to juggle schoolwork, homework and now studying for midterms.

Nearly an entire school week is dedicated to testing. Starting Jan. 26, students will take two tests a day, each one in a two-hour segment.

This allows for an early release, but also studying stress-outs.

For seniors, this will be the last mid-year test of their HB career. Senior Katrina Nill says “balancing regular work with studying can get tricky,” and says she pays extra attention in class and studies on the half days to ensure success.

But for the freshmen, this experience will be brand new. So, how does one study for such an exam? Although time is dwindling, following a few quick tips will ensure that students will be ready to ace anything dished out come test time.

First of all, make sure to pay attention as teachers start to do review sessions. Knowing what to expect and what the material is going to be will help you when you’re studying on your own.

If you have a textbook, go through the key concepts and take some of the practice tests.

Reading the material aloud to yourself or to someone else will help the information to stick in your mind.

Make flashcards with main ideas on them. Make sure to spread out your study sessions – cramming causes stress and anxiety.

On the day of the exam, go in with a positive attitude, plenty of sleep and having eaten breakfast. Make sure to read each question carefully and to look for key terms in true-or-false questions. Always check your answers and circle the questions you might need to go back to.

As the end of the quarter approaches and grades start to close, finding any spare time to study can be challenging, but by being prepared, exams go from nail-biter to no sweat.

Morgan Elliott is a junior at Hollis/Brookline High School.