As the school year is winding down, major tests are just beginning. This is a very stressful time for students who are feeling overwhelmed, but it may be nice to know that finals and AP test preparation can be both doable and manageable. Follow these tips to discover how to study smart, not hard.

• Study in short intervals. It is more beneficial to take 20 minute study intervals with breaks in between than studying for long periods of time all at once. By doing shorter sessions, you learn a lot while not stressing yourself out.

• Plan ahead. Instead of just studying random material, figure out what you don’t know and start there. When you are told the test date, start planning there without saying “I’ll get to it when I get to it.” Being proactive allows you to get a jump start on the material thus allowing you to better understand it.

• Distribute study sessions. This makes you study over a longer period of time which allows more material to be covered. Also, when you have a distribution of studying, you prepare more which allows for more confidence on the test day.

• Write down what you studied that day. When you write down what you have studied, you can look over it the morning of test day. This will allow you to realize that you have prepared and you have done all that could have to prepare.

• Write down concepts that you are unsure of. Writing down information is a lot more effective than rereading. In fact, it has been found that rereading is the least effective way of studying as you are not really going over the information and learning.

• Talk about what you are learning. One of the best ways to know whether or not you understand a concept is if you can explain it to someone else. Tell your parents or friends about something that you have learned, or if applicable in a conversation, incorporate it. This way when you get to the topic on the test, you know exactly what it is.

• Do something every day. If you have absolutely no time, try to at least review the materials and information that you studied the day before. Committing the information is essential and will lead to success.

• Utilize study tools. Quizlet is an amazing, reliable source. There are infinite subjects and vocab as well as practice questions that test your knowledge. There is even a function that allows you to slowly build your knowledge of the terms. Recalling information is much more effective than rehearsing the information.

At the end of the day, a test is just a test. No matter the outcome, sometimes you have to find satisfaction in the effort, not the result. Know that if you review, you are ready.  You have the power to be successful, you just have to activate it. Do your best and forget the rest.