With trimester finals rolling around, most students are probably very worried about tests that could make or break their grades. Unfortunately, this may cause them to have unhealthy habits, such as studying very late into the night or worrying excessively about their tests. Too much stress and poor study habits will only lead to poor mental health; they won’t boost any grades. Fortunately, there are several ways to prepare yourself before taking a test.

1. A good night’s sleep. Rather than pulling an all-nighter, it’s more beneficial to study in the afternoon or in the early evening. It’s also important not to study before bed, which will only stress you out and make it harder to sleep. The importance of sleep is that it not only allows you to concentrate better the next day, but studying too much will only make you more stressed.
2. Breathing exercises. This is a simple trick to calm yourself during the test. If you’re very worried, you might suddenly feel your heart beating very heavily. If this happens, just breathe in slowly and breathe out slowly in deep breaths, which should bring your heart rate back down and calm your mind.
3. Don’t cram. If you have a big test coming up, like the finals, don’t wait until the last minute to study everything. Spread out your studying throughout the week, so you can study a little bit everyday, which also lets you allow time for breaks. This way, you don’t have to spend the entire night before trying to cram every bit of information in.
4. Form a study habit that works best for you. Different people have different study methods. Some people might like to study in groups while others might prefer to study alone. Some people might use online study game platforms while other people might prefer flashcards or reading notes. Whatever way works best for you to remember information should be the method you use.
5. Limit distractions. While it’s good to take breaks when studying, you should keep distractions away WHILE you’re studying. If you get distracted by devices, put them in a place where you won’t be tempted. If you get distracted by other people, study alone in a place with minimal noise.