A lot of students will, at some point, try cramming in preparation for an exam. However, those all-nighter study sessions right before the beginning of an exam will only tend to stress you out and get in the way of your ability to sleep and relax to get into the right headspace. Here, we’re going to look at some healthier habits to help you study more and study better.

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Relaxing might help better

One of the reasons that we tend to cram just before a test is that we’re feeling nervous about how we will perform, leading to stress. You may have already studied plenty already, but still, be stressed. You might think cramming will help you feel more prepared, but it only tends to induce even more panic. Instead, look at methods to help yourself relax and to calm your nerves the day before the test. Take the time to compose yourself, even if it means not taking a single look at your study materials.

Break it down

Rather than trying to sit and study it all at once, it may be beneficial to try and break down your exam subject material into different sections that you can study in ten-minute blocks. If you don’t have a lot of time throughout the weeks or months to study as much as you want to, such as if you’re studying while working, rather than setting aside one day to cram it all in, you might be better able to retain the information you need by creating ten-minute study blocks every day.

Use specific exam preparation tools

If you’re looking at taking specific qualification exams, such as CPAs for accounting, CFAs for finance, MCATs for grad school or the like, then you should know there are plenty of resources out there that can help you better prepare for those specific tests. Tools like UWorld are built for exam preparation first and foremost and can help you better structure your approach to some of the most important tests in your educational life. Simply cramming as you would for any other subject might not always be the best approach.

Better last-minute learning

Sometimes you simply can’t avoid last-minute learning. You might simply have time to run away from you or have other responsibilities to deal with. If that’s the case and you don’t have the time to “prepare” your approach to the exam ahead of time, then learning to better improve your last-minute study, as shown by Study International, might be more helpful than simply trying to cram it all. It’s recommended you work from your own notes or prepared slides, and break the day up with plenty of breaks to avoid getting bogged down.

The occasional cram session to help you memorize a few final details before you sit your exams can sometimes help. However, they should not be the primary tool you rely on to help you prepare for your exams. Consider the tips above the next time you think about cramming.