Most of us have had the previous experience of writing in-person tests and exams. However, with most of our class deliveries and materials being offered online, some students might not have had the experience of writing in-person tests, and that can be super stressful. Here are a few things you might find helpful when preparing for the impending exam season: 

1) Don’t be afraid to start studying really early. Most in-person exams are closed book and are composed of all of the lecture material from the semester. That is a LOT of material to learn. One of the best ways some of us can learn is to avoid cramming the last few days before the exam. Instead, try giving yourself at least a week to looking over the material. This doesn’t always work with everyone’s schedule though, so don’t force yourself to work under a certain timeline. For some, starting to study weeks ahead of time is useful. For others, a few days is all they need. 

2) Make sure to bring water and light snacks. Some people are not able to eat a full meal before entering the classroom because of stress but working super intensively for a long period of time can be exhausting. With this in mind, being able to take a water break or a light snack like a granola bar while you write your exam can be very helpful.  

3) Have your pencil case ready before you leave. I always have an exam pack at the ready. I usually fill my pack with 4-5 pencils, pens, erasers, tissues, lead refills, snacks, my student id and more than one calculator. I’m very overprepared, but I’d rather have everything in one spot than be scrambling 15 minutes before an exam to find my spare calculator! Having everything set before you leave can take one thing off your mind. 

4) Make sure you are well rested. Although some of us think that one-nighters and cramming sessions are the best way to get all of the information you need for you exam, it is always best to try to get a few more hours of sleep than go to an exam exhausted. The information that you crammed when you were too tired to function will not be useful to you when you’re trying desperately to stay awake during the test. 

There are many tips and tricks available to someone who is taking in-person tests, but there is not one strict recipe to do it well. Everyone has their own way of functioning and succeeding; find what works for you and go from there!  

Best of luck on exams! You got this!