Jacksonville, Fla. ---- Nobody likes taking standardized tests. Most, if not all students, dread the long and grueling days at school where bubbling in circles is all your brain can think about. This week is standardized testing week across the First Coast, and while taking tests may not be the most enjoyable activity, there are ways to make preparing for and taking them easier.
Studying can get terribly boring. Anything sounds better than combing through notes and recorded videos to relearn information on ancient history or where to put a comma in a sentence. So, break it up.
No one has ever said studying for 10 hours straight is the best way to retain information, so segment you studying. You may not know what is going to appear on your test, but it cannot hurt to revisit information learned over the year.
Take an hour or so and study hard. Turn off your phone, television, and block out distractions. Go over your notes or your teacher’s slideshows. It can’t hurt to review a part of multiplication you may be foggy on, or what time period the Aztecs were around in. Take practice tests, too. Knowing the layout of a test or the type of questions asked will give you a big advantage come testing day.
After that study session, reward yourself. Go outside, go on the internet or watch a quick episode. Then, back to the grind. Rewarding yourself for studying can be a great way to keep yourself engaged and motivated.
When you are not mentally preparing for tests, you can always prepare your whole body. Always stay hydrated when studying and before sitting and testing for a long period. It may sound cliché, but the best way to optimize your brain and body is to give it the nutrients it needs to operate at its highest level. Try studying at a desk at home or table and not your bed. Your bed associates your bed with going to sleep, so try studying and relaxing at a place where you are upright and focused.
Cut out sweets or sodas for a few days and eat healthy. It is a small sacrifice for a potentially huge reward. Standardized tests, whether students like it or not, make up a huge part of the education system. Not having a bag of Twizzlers or a Sprite for a night or two in the long run will be extremely beneficial.
Now you are in your test taking sight. What do you do then? Certainly, turn that phone off and put it in your bag. You don’t want anything distracting buzzing in your pocket that you may want to look at or touch. Most test taking sights don’t even allow you to have your phone on you, so you may not even have to worry about that.
When testing, make sure when you are bubbling, to always bubble full and dark. You would not want to have a perfect score test that can’t be scored properly due to incorrect bubbling.
Lastly, just relax. Take a deep breath or five. Close your eyes and try and clear your head. Make sure that catchy tune you heard on the radio is the last thing on your mind. Tests may not be your favorite, but this is not the end of the world. You have taken tests before.
Always give yourself positive words of affirmation and take your time. There is no grade boost for the person who finished their test first. Above all else- Good Luck!!!
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